Chapter 45:

Several weeks have past since the start of the holiday, Rodrick and his friends were currently relaxing in The Greengrass garden. Blaise and Tracey had shown up at the Manor several times so far already. They'd even celebrated Tracey's birthday there; her mother had come of course.

It felt good to be able to relax without the Transfiguration magic in place, ever since he'd stopped using it at Greengrass Manor he'd had much more energy.

He eyed Blaise, a small smile tugging at his face, it was the first time he'd ever seen the boy dress casually. He was sporting a typical black shirt with a strange word emblazoned in gold with black trousers. Daphne hadn't even bothered to change from her pyjamas, a simple purple top, and white trousers, he couldn't blame her, the summer was getting unbearably hot. Tracey was wearing a red dress; she looked somewhat comical considering the dress was brighter than her hair. He himself was sporting a white shirt with a green snake on it and dark green knee-length shorts. It didn't match him at all, and his friends made that known.

There were bags strewn all over around them.

Rodrick had a large book open in front of him; he was idly reading a large cluster of words about magic extraction, he had been trying out the spell ever since he'd gotten the book from Gringotts, he hadn't managed a successful cast yet, something Blaise had teased him on quite a lot. He groaned he closed the book, for the fifth time that hour, with a loud thud before he relaxed onto the grass.

"Succeed yet?"

"Shove it, Blaise."

"Language! there's an 11-year-old here!"

"You heard the redhead, Blaise, Language!"

"She's referring to you, Rodrick."

"I won't tell if you feed me."

Astoria had spent quite a lot of time with them. Rodrick quickly summoned some sweets he'd hidden in his room and handed them over to the youngest girl. Turning around he saw his friends eyeing him curiously, Blaise looked like he was pouting.

"What?"

"Did you just use a summoning charm? Without a wand?" Tracey asked, sparkling eyes gazed at him.

Rodrick blinked at that before nodding.

"That's at least sixth-year level..." Blaise commented with a frowned.

Rodrick raised an eyebrow before remarking he'd used an unforgivable in his first year...

"Oh, yeah... And last year as well," Blaise added on mollified.

Two large pairs of eyes greeted him at that, before they could ask however Rodrick cut them off.

"Basilisk,"

Both had nodded at that, remembering the Defense lesson, before Daphne spoke out.

"But that means!" there was a frantic tone to her voice as she pointed towards him, remembering her sister was around, she moved over towards the boy and whispered in his ear.

"You used the killing curse!"

"Didn't work," Rodrick shrugged before laying back down on the grass.

Daphne looked down towards him surprised before she whispered the next question, louder than before. The two other soon-to-be third years heard her.

"Can you use the last one? The to-" she started but was unable to finish.

Rodrick narrowed his eyes disdainfully at that before shaking his head. "No... Never saw a reason to do that to anything."

Some relief seemed to return to the girl before she asked if he was capable of casting it.

Rodrick shrugged, he really wasn't sure himself.

"You're ok with the one that ends everything but a little pain is too much?" Blaise asked bemusedly.

"I'd never actually use it on a person... I doubt it'd work anyway... That spell needs a lot of hatred you know?"

"As if you're capable of that!" Blaise snorted.

"Basilisk made that clear enough," Rodrick joked.

He turned towards Daphne, Rodrick was pleasantly surprised to find the girl smiling at him; she'd manage to look past quite a lot of his issue, he'd told her about the Occulumency shield on his mind, she'd started blaming all his eccentricities on his grandfather after that. He was completely fine with that. He hadn't managed to tell her parents about any of the curses he'd used, Daphne had advised him against it.

"What about that Fiendfyre spell you spoke about," Tracey asked intrigued, there was an innocent look of curiosity on her face.

Rodrick raised himself up into a seating position before he relaxed against his hands.

"Fiendfyre huh... Best way to describe that would be... It's a legal unforgivable?"

The three of them blinked at that.

"What do you mean?"

"The only reason it isn't banned is that most of the users tend to die before getting prosecuted."

The look of dread on their faces was hilarious.

"I am joking; it's just really hard to control." Rodrick raised his cursed arm at that, "Result of said lack of control," He waved it around amiably, his top was short sleeved, revealing the curse in all its glory.

He saw Tracey and Blaise nod understandably, and Daphne just shook her head at the casual tone.

"It's not all bad," Daphne spoke, referring to the arm.

It was true, whenever Astoria had started feeling ill and pale, Rodrick had managed to take the blunt of it away. Her parents had been beyond grateful for it; they'd never seen Astoria recover so quickly. He was currently trying to understand the magic extracting spell from the potions book to try and make it permanent.

Blaise, however, decided to interject.

"So, is he still dateable?" He sent a pointed look towards Daphne.

Daphne flustered before she glared towards Rodrick.

"The hell did I do?" He questioned incredulously.

"You told him!"

"Told him what?"

"That I-" Then she froze like a deer in front of headlights.

Tracey switched gazes between the two of them as a grin grew on her face.

"Nevermind!" Daphne huffed.

"What's this you haven't told me?"

When he moved closer towards Blaise, Daphne glared at him again.

Noticing the look on her face, Rodrick, in turn, whispered something in her ear.

Daphne promptly moved away, "Don't you dare!"

He started laughing.

"What did he say?" "What did you say?" "Sweets!"

The other three spoke at the same time.

"Nothing!" Daphne spoke first.

She saw Rodrick move closer to tell Blaise before she got her wand out and walked towards the boy, aiming it at his chest. "Don't. You. Dare"

Rodrick's lips were twitching up.

"Wrong place Daph."

"What?"

"You're aiming at the wrong place."

Daphne narrowed her eyes slightly at that before Rodrick moved his hand towards the wand, redirecting it in an attempt to show the girl the best place to threaten someone. He moved it slowly towards his neck but changed at the last second and had the wand aimed at Daphne's instead.

"Better, now where was I?" Rodrick remarked with a grin.

Daphne was slowly turning red as she saw the boy about to speak, "I swear-"

Rodrick snorted, slowly going into full-blown laughter at the look on her face, unable to help himself.

"You're impossible," Daphne sighed tired, she stood as soon the boy returned her wand. She saw the others trying to hold their own laughter.

"Seems pretty possible to me, What do you think Davis?" Blaise remarked.

"I don't see what's impossible."

"Oh shut up, the lot of you."

"Mangwege," Astoria muttered, her mouth full of candy.

After the group had calmed down, Tracey moved over towards Rodrick, her homework in hand.

Rodrick sighed before he got up from his relaxed position and started helping the girl with potions. The others followed suit and started on their own homework.

"When did you finish yours?" Blaise asked somewhat annoyed.

"First week back," Rodrick muttered.

"I never saw you doing any of it," Daphne frowned.

"Couldn't sleep, did homework," Rodrick replied.

He'd had to tend to Astoria for that first week, one effect that resulted was a lack of sleep, the curse had affected the girl so much by then. It had taken a while before Rodrick had managed to return it back to a stable condition. It wasn't removed, but it was enough to give the girl some of her energy back.

It took Daphne several days before she'd realized why Astoria had clung on to him for so long.

"When do you guys plan on getting your books?" Daphne asked, "My family was planning to go next week."

"I am considering going with them," Rodrick quipped.

Daphne rolled her eyes.

"I guess I can do next week," Tracey replied, a thoughtful look on her face.

Blaise just nodded.

"That's not an answer..." Rodrick muttered. "Ah, I need to go to Diagon Alley later, need to get some potion ingredients."

Daphne had a worried look at that, "Can't you wait until tomorrow?"

Rodrick shook his head, "Don't really have anything planned later today."

"Such a good friend right? Just leaving us like that," Blaise remarked.

She ignored him, "My parents won't be able to come with you..." Daphne remarked.

Rodrick raised an eyebrow before chuckling, "I can take care of myself Daph, prefer not to take up their time, you lot here can take care of the candy pitfall over there," he said as he ruffled the laughing young girl's hair.

"You read the paper..."

The group stiffened; there had been a break out from Azkaban, it was a sore point for the wizarding community. Minister Fudge had tried to keep the news under wraps. Frankly, he didn't actually have to, days later news of Dumbledore's demotion from Chief Warlock appeared, taking the community by storm. Although almost anyone could've guessed Fudge had waited for the right opportunity to release that bit of news.

"I'll be fine, Diagon Alley is the last place he'd show up."

"That's a good way to get him to show up," Blaise drawled.

Rodrick rolled his eyes.

"How do you plan on getting back here?" Tracey asked.

"Floo network."

Tracey looked somewhat surprised, "From where?"

"My house," Rodrick replied, "They set up the floo network on it a week ago."

"When are you planning to let us see it?" Blaise asked.

"Daphne already saw it."

"We haven't..." Tracey remarked, trying her best attempt at pouting.

"It's not ready, literally all that's prepared is the fireplace, the rest of it is full of dust," Daphne explained.

"When do you think it'll be ready?" Tracey asked, slightly annoyed; she was trying to understand whatever Rodrick was writing down on her parchment.

"Probably next year" Rodrick answered, scribbling nonsense down on parchment.

"It takes that long?" Blaise spoke.

Daphne turned towards the parchment in Rodrick's hand before frowning; it didn't make any sense. She quickly turned towards Blaise and answered his question.

"He wanted the place completely warded, literally from everything."

"Why?" Tracey asked, turning away from the parchment in a huff.

Rodrick locked eyes with the girl, "Really?"

Understanding quickly reached her. "Right, grandson of a dark lord."

Rodrick nodded cheerfully at that. "That would be me!" He pointed both thumbs at himself.

The rest shook their head.

Raising the parchment, Rodrick proudly proclaimed it to mean utter rubbish, earning two slaps from the girls.

Receiving a new parchment and a warning from the redhead, Rodrick began doodling Daphne onto it.

"Rodrick!" Tracey moaned, "Come on..." Seeing the hilarious drawing, however, changed her mind. "Ok maybe after you finish this,"

Daphne's eyes twitched at her friends before she grabbed the parchment and cut it in two.

"AH, How could you do that!" Rodrick yelled, "That was my best work!"

"That's sad..." Blaise remarked.

Rodrick grumbled something indecent before grabbing another parchment and actually helped the redhead.

"What courses did you lot choose?" Rodrick asked, currently writing down the ingredients to the shrinking potion.

"Care of Magical beasts and Runes," Blaise answered first.

"Arithmancy and Divination," Tracey spoke, somewhat embarrassed at her second choice.

Rodrick patted her head as if she were a child.

"Why do you put up with that?" Daphne asked, looking towards Tracey.

"I am a wonderful person," Rodrick spoke earning a chuckle out of Tracey and a cough from Blaise. "I am babysitting animals, studying nonsense and predicting the future with logic." He added on

Tracey stared at the boy wondering what on earth he was talking about.

"Care Of Magical Creatures, Ancient Runes, and Arithmancy" Daphne pointed, "I am taking the same"

Bobbing heads met her at that.

"She can't stand to be away from me" Rodrick joked.

"Oh please!" Daphne huffed.

"See?" That time she slapped him.

...

Rodrick walked on through Diagon Alley before he stopped to look at the firebolt in the window; he was sorely tempted to buy it. Not to ride it. Simply to irritate the hell out of practically everyone in Hogwarts, the idea of an unused firebolt...

When he turned to move away however he caught sight of someone he hadn't at all been planning to see, Harry Potter... 'He probably doesn't like me all that much after last year... Best thing to do would be to avoid him...'

"Hello, Potter!" Rodrick walked up towards the boy, grabbing his attention.

Harry Potter turned around warily; he recognized that voice... He simply didn't know from where. When he saw who it was, he felt his eyes narrow slightly before he calmed himself down.

"Rodrick," Harry replied curtly, unsure of what the boy wanted.

"Wow, you don't sound happy to see me. Harry, did I do something to upset you?"

Harry Potter narrowed his eyes at that, what was he playing at? "I don't remember being on a first name basis with you... uh..."

"Difficult ain't it, dealing with a nameless orphan?" Rodrick joked

Harry could slowly feel the moment turn awkward by the second.

"Oh do relax Potter."

"What do you need?"

"You can say my name you know..."

Harry drew in a deep breath at that. "What do you want Rodrick?"

Rodrick face took on genuine hurt at that, "Did I do something to upset you?"

Harry Potter stared incredulously at the boy in front of him, "You don't remember last year!?"

Rodrick blinked at that, "House rivalries... You actually hold a grudge over what's expected?"

"What's expected!?"

"Potter, there's a reason teachers deduct points, it's to allow rivalries to take place because apparently, that generates house unity."

"That wasn't a rivalry... The Point difference..."

"840 to be exact and I'll be honest even with that I wasn't confident we'd win, I'd kept on expecting Dumbledore to simply give you the house cup anyway."

"What?"

"Remember the first year?"

"We stopped Voldemort!" Harry accidentally spoke out loud, earning gasps from the people around him.

Rodrick raised an eyebrow at that, "Neville Longbottom got 10 points for standing up to you, your friends got points for breaking every rule in the school, you I'll admit deserved it."

Harry narrowed his eyes slightly, instead of arguing the point he changed it to something else "It wasn't just house points, you got me kicked out of Quidditch."

"You tried to injure a classmate, I wasn't even responsible for the punishment, I didn't choose it. Besides, it was just for that year, you're back on the team come September."

"How did you even know anyway?" Harry Potter asked, curious, it had bothered him for quite some time.

Rodrick chuckled, "You sat next to the Slytherins, what good could come of that?"

Harry Potter blinked at that, it was a fair point.

"Anyway, you insulted my friends." Harry settled on.

"They started it,"

"You went too far!"

"It's not my fault you Gryffindor get riled up so quickly."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry spoke, a louder voice than usual.

"See?" Rodrick retorted amused.

Harry Potter was about to reply before he saw the boy turn around.

"Follow me, Potter."

"Where?" Harry asked warily, he had no intention of following a Slytherin but was curious.

"Knockturn Alley,"

Harry's eyes widened before he spoke out louder than usual once again, "No," he felt somewhat apprehensive about raising his voice... The boy's point about getting riled up was getting to him.

"Come on."

"Why would I?"

"I want some company."

"No, why don't you go ask Malfoy, I am sure he lurks about there."

"Fine, If I die, it's on your head," Rodrick retorted.

...

...

Harry Potter watched idly as the boy moved away. 'Just turn around and go... It's not your problem...'

"Damn it..." He followed the boy, "Wait up Rodrick."

"What took you so long?"

"What are we doing here?"

"Sightseeing, never been here before."

Harry stopped in his tracks at that, he narrowed his eyes at the boy.

"Don't stop now, come on Potter."

With a scowl on his face, Harry followed him anyway.

"Why did you want me to come along?"

"They're less likely to bother two people."

"Scared?" Harry asked amused, the boy had killed a Basilisk.

"Scared of hurting them," Rodrick replied seriously.

Finding a small bridge over a gap of water, Rodrick went up towards it before resting his back against it, Harry did the same.

"What are we doing here?"

"Sightseeing,"

Harry Potter sighed.

"What are we trying to sightsee here?" Harry asked.

"Look over there, what do you see?"

Harry frowned slightly before he focused his attention, his broken glasses weren't helping.

Rodrick noticing the problem, waved his hand over the broken spectacles to repair them.

"Thanks..." Murmured Harry, "How do you do that?" he questioned.

"You'll learn later," Rodrick replied, earning a frown.

"What am I lo-" Harry Potter started, before his eyes widened, he took out his wand, aiming it at Rodrick. He'd spotted Malfoy, in the building across them.

Rodrick rolled his eyes, "This is what I mean about getting riled up."

"You brought me here to them!"

Rodrick raised an eyebrow at that, "Really? So you can meet his wife?"

Harry Potter blinked at that before he turned back to Malfoy, he was having dinner with his family...

"Honestly I had no idea they'd even be here, pure luck," Rodrick joked.

"What is wrong with you?" Harry Potter asked, putting his wand away.

Rodrick didn't answer.

"You're friends with that git though," Harry remarked.

Rodrick nodded, "And your friends with Weasley."

"What's your point?"

"You started it..." Rodrick remarked, amused.

"He insulted my best friend."

"Who?"

"Ron," Harry answered exasperatedly.

"My condolences" Rodrick deadpanned.

Harry seethed at that before he could do anything Rodrick put up a hand.

"Getting riled again, Potter. No need to prove you're a Gryffindor."

"You insulted my friend!"

"You insulted mine."

"Malfoy's your best friend?"

"No..."

"Then it's not the same"

"You're welcome to have a go."

Harry Potter was about to retort before he found out he knew nothing of those three.

"Well?"

"I don't know them well enough..."

"I am surprised you didn't lump them in with the rest of Slytherins."

"Ron would've."

"The boy's an idiot what do you expect."

Harry was about to reply before he realized quickly, "Right... Riled up... You're doing it on purpose."

Rodrick grinned.

"I am surprised you didn't lump me with the rest of them."

"Your not a bad person"... "Just very annoying" Harry admitted.

"Really?"

"You helped Hermione... Remember?"

"Ah, the mud-blood."

Harry Potter inwardly cursed but managed to control himself, "You're good."

Rodrick chuckled, "Muggleborn is such a long word though don't you think? Could use a shorter one..."

Harry Potter narrowed his eyes, "Don't call her a Mudblood again..." He whispered.

"Was thinking of calling her a Witch... Are you sure you're not a Slytherin?" Rodrick asked, there was a twinkle in his eyes.

Harry Potter stared at the boy, blinking slowly, "God you're impossible."

"I am not God, Potter"

Harry Potter took a deep breath to calm himself, he quickly found himself laughing.

"See how charming I could be?"

"Shut up," Harry bit back although there was the hint of a smile on his face.

Rodrick turned away from the Malfoys and settled down onto the floor, his back still against the bridge, Harry slowly followed.

"You're strange for a Slytherin you know."

"What qualities do you expect Slytherin's to have?"

"Cold, tend to be evil, cruel," Harry answered, thinking of Tom Riddle.

Rodrick nodded his head, "I think it's more Wit, Charming and cunning."

Harry rolled his eyes, "What do you think of Gryffindor then?"

"Reckless, brave, tend to be Dumbledore's cubs."

"You're half right..."

"You're completely wrong," Rodrick muttered, "Guess we know who's the biased one here."

"A lot of Slytherins tend to go evil..."

"Not all of them, yet most if not all of the Gryffindors tend to be what I said,"

Harry couldn't argue with that.

"It won't be that easy... Next year with the house cup."

Rodrick raised an eyebrow at that, "I don't really plan on running for that... It was difficult enough to win this year and I had to kill a Basilisk."

Harry Potter was a little surprised at that.

"If you make it too easy I won't hold back though" Rodrick added on.

"You know... Malfoy's responsible for that Basilisk," Harry spoke.

Rodrick nodded.

Harry was somewhat surprised at that, "Why are you friends with Draco then?"

Rodrick turned to look at the Boy-Who-Lived with a frown. "Don't judge him for what his father did."

"They're pretty similar..."

Rodrick knew this was a bad idea...

"My grandfather was an evil man, Would my mother count as the same for being his daughter?"

Harry Potter paused at that, "I didn't know your mother..."

"It doesn't matter."

"Why?"

"She was probably judged for my Grandfather's crimes all the same."

Harry had a bad feeling about where he was heading...

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"She was hunted down. She had to hide... she couldn't get any help though, if she'd told anyone who she was, she would've been sent to Azkaban. I am not exactly sure if that's true, but well she certainly believed it. Can you imagine living like that?"

Harry was starting to feel bad.

"You know the worst part?"

Harry Potter gave no reaction, intent on listening.

"She couldn't find a sanctuary with the ministry because of her name, she had to hide from them and she couldn't even join Voldemort."

Harry Potter stared shocked at the boy in front of him, it was the first time another student had said the dark lord's name casually. The words had quickly clicked, "How do you know?"

"Because it was his orders that killed her." Rodrick snarled, in a cold, emotionless voice.

Harry Potter stared at the boy, the silence filling up.

"Who are you?" he finally managed to rasp out.

Rodrick gave a smile at that, "If I told you that, you'd judge me without a second thought."

"You saved my friend."

"With an unforgivable curse."

Harry Potter quieted down at that. "It's a secret?"

Rodrick nodded.

"Does Dumbledore know?"

Rodrick stopped at the sudden question before nodding warily.

"Then you can't be that bad."

Rodrick stared at Harry Potter before he slowly started laughing, "You really are Dumbledore's little cub."

Harry frowned slightly at that before huffing.

"Grindelwald, My name is Rodrick Grindelwald."

Seeing the confused look on the boys face Rodrick added on. "My grandfather was the dark lord before Voldemort. The one Dumbledore is famous for stopping."

Harry Potter took in the words slowly before sighing.

"Fine... Your right, Malfoy's not like his father."

Rodrick grinned.

"He's still a git though."

"You're friends still an idiot."

Harry Potter frowned, "Why?"

"Who caused Granger to go running to the girl's bathroom last year?"

Harry stared at the boy, "How did you know?"

Rodrick laughed, "I didn't, thank you for confirming it for me."

Harry Potter frowned once again, "I don't know how your friends put up with you."

"Remarkably well, I am still right."

"Just the one time alright."

Rodrick shrugged

"Still right."

A few moments passed before Harry Potter spoke up again.

"You said it was on Voldemort's orders?"

Rodrick nodded.

"You don't think it was Sirius Black, the one that escaped?"

Rodrick raised an eyebrow at that, "Doubt it,"

"Why?"

"Just a feeling..." Rodrick answered, remembering his grandfather's words regarding Black. Gellert had spoken in riddles once again, telling him Black wasn't actually as black as he was pictured.

It was only recently he found out that newspapers were actually sent to Numengrad.

"I still have some things I need to buy, I'll be on my way then Potter."

Rodrick got up and surprisingly received a handshake from the boy,

"Later, um Gr... Rodrick?"

"Rodrick will do fine," He chuckled

"Right, see ya at Hogwarts I guess."

"..."

He moved away in one of the directions, thinking over his conversation with the Boy-Who-Lived.

"Rodrick!" He heard someone call out.

Turning, he found Harry Potter again.

"I don't believe this is Hogwarts."

Harry rolled his eyes, "I don't know the way back."

Rodrick raised his eyes dramatically, "That's a problem..."

"Why?"

"Neither do I."

A sense of panic filled Harry until he saw Rodrick trying to hold in laughter.

"Stop doing that,"

"Riling you up?"

"Yes"

"Can't."

"Why?"

"Because I am a Slytherin."