Forbidden Knowledge

"Not that you need those," Theo snarked.

"- and slashing curses on my list, a couple of de-fingering curses too," he said contemplatively.

His friends looked a bit green at that.

"But," he ammended, "We probably shouldn't use those in duels."

"That's probably for the best," Theo said with a slight shiver.

"Where did you even get spells like that?" Hermione asked with a frown, "That's definitely not in any of our school books."

Harry grinned subtly. "I may have gotten my hands on a copy of Magick Moste Evile."

Hermione looked shocked, while Theo looked incredibly jealous.

"Harry! Isn't it illegal to own a personal copy of it?"

Harry laughed lightly. "Kind of like it's illegal to own a Blood Quill?"

Hermione grimaced.

"Seriously, though, how did you manage that?" Theo asked.

"I got it at Borgin and Burkes."

Theo gaped at him. "You've been to Borgin and Burkes?"

"Well, yes. It's quite an exciting place. I rather liked it. I hope I can return next summer."

Hermione glanced rapidly between them. "What's Borgin and Burkes?"

"Magical black market store front," Theo said casually, leaving Hermione to gape.

Meanwhile, Harry blinked. "Oh, so that's what it is."

Theo looked at him in amusement. "You didn't even know what it was?"

"Nope."

"Merlin, Harry. You really do have a deathwish."

Hermione scowled. "I agree, Harry! You shouldn't go wandering into shady places like that! It's not good for your health. We worry about you enough as it is."

Harry waved them off. "I was perfectly safe, it's fine. Oh! And I got something else too!" He reached into his bag and pulled out the skull he had purchased. "It's kind of cute, right? I named it Billy."

Theo stared at him in pure bewilderment, and something between incredulity and disgust had crawled onto Hermione's face.

"Is that a...skull?"

Harry nodded avidly. "With mysterious markings all over it. I found it in a display case at Borgin and Burkes!"

"A human skull."

"Yep!"

"A...baby skull."

"Probably, given the size."

"And...why would you buy something like that?" Hermione asked very slowly.

"Well, it's rather neat, I think. Besides, I've always wanted to meet someone named Billy - now I have!"

Hermione grimaced. "Well, yes, you can put it away now."

Harry obeyed contritely.

Theo cleared his throat, trying to dispel the awkwardness. "So, you've started reading Magick Moste Evile, then?"

A look of excitement came over Harry's face. "Oh yes, and I discovered these two curses that have mysteriously similar wand movements but drastically different incantations – I'd have though it would be the opposite, because one pulls out your fingernails, and the other dissolves them. And the incantations are polar opposite! Completely different grammatical structure! Isn't that interesting?"

There was no reply.

Harry grinned sheepishly. "I'm just really interested in the interaction between wand movements and incantations in spell crafting."

Hermione was gaping at him at this point, but Theo just shook his head. "You're so weird."

"...I know."

Poor Hermione looked like she might burst into tears.

"Now," Theo said abruptly, coming to Hermione's rescue, "What's this about house elves?"

Harry started. "Oh, yes, Dobby, the Malfoys' house elf, came to visit me this summer."

Theo stared at him, bewildered, while Hermione's shock turned into a frown. "What's a house elf?"

"A slave, basically," Harry said bluntly

Hermione gaped at him.

"They're little creatures, about two or three feet tall, who are bound to a wizard family – they cook and clean and stuff."

Hermione looked aghast. "And this is...common?"

"Who do you think cooks all the food at Hogwarts?" Theo asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Slaves do?"

"They're not really slaves," Theo put in, "They just...don't get paid."

"That's slavery!"

"They like it, if that makes you feel any better."

"How can they like it?"

Both Harry and Theo shrugged causing Hermione's face to twist into an expression of outrage.

"That's horrible. Horrible!"

"Anyway," Theo said, "What's this about Dobby visiting you?"

Hermione scowled at him.

"Well," Harry said delicately, "He claimed that terrible things are going to happen at Hogwarts this year."

"You, mean, more terrible than last year," Theo said humorously.

"Apparently," Harry said, causing Theo's mouth to fall open. "You did say Malfoy visited you a few times this summer - and that means your fathers were visiting, right? So I was wondering, maybe they had something to talk about. I think this might be part of it...maybe?"

"Or it could be completely unrelated."

"That too."

"Well, what sort of things are going to happen?" Hermione interjected.

"Well that's the thing...he didn't really say. I just figure he overheard something. The Malfoys might have nothing to do with it, but they know someone who does, and Dobby thought it sounded dangerous enough that he needed to warn me."

Hermione scowled. "You just can't stay out of trouble, can you Harry?"

"Apparently not."

Hermione's scowl deepened.

"Now, last order of business," Harry said, eagerly changing the topic, "Names."

"Names?"

"Yes, names. Don't you think it's high time you two started calling each other by your proper names, now? What with all the covert operations and secret society and everything."

Both of his friends looked thoughtful at that.

"Theo?" Hermione tried.

"Hermione," Theo agreed.

"Harry!" Harry chirped, earning exasperated eye-rolls.

Harry smiled brightly at Hortense Rowland, who was walking past him as he sat down at the Slytherin table beside Theo.

"Congratulations on making Head Girl!" he said happily.

The brunette came to a halt and smiled back at him. "Why, thank you Harry. How was your summer?"

"Oh, terribly dull," he said, "I'm glad it's over."

The prefect looked amused at that. "You might be missing it in a few weeks' time."

Harry's smile tightened. "I doubt it."

The older girl rolled her eyes. "You stay out of trouble."

"Yes ma'am."

"Terribly dull, eh?" Terence Higgs spoke up from the other side of the table, "I hope you didn't slack off, because the rest of us were practising all summer."

Harry smiled sheepishly. "I don't own a broom, Higgs."

.....

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