"Unless they're clearly identified as fiction, books should be about educating the reader with facts. You're supposed to be able to trust they're the truth. I'm - I'm supposed to be able to trust they're the truth." "Well, here we have an author who doesn't believe that. Plus, he's clearly being abetted by the publisher," replied Harry. "Now that we know the true identity of Mister Gild, I'll be letting Cygnus know so we can go after him."
"I doubt, once this all comes out, our dear Professor Lockhart will be DADA Professor for much longer," said Susan. "Part of the requirements for the job, any job at Hogwarts, is a sterling reputation."
Neville snorted and said, "Our dear Headmaster and Professor Snape, aside."
Daphne drafted the letter to her father while Harry wrote down all the conflicting 'facts' across the books. It took him a while and Daphne had long since finished while Harry was still writing.
He had only just managed to have everything written down when they had to leave hurriedly to get down to the Great Hall for dinner. If they hadn't used the shortcuts through the castle they would have been late.
Daphne carried both the letter and a copy of Harry's notes after he'd used the Copy Charm on them. His own copy was in his bookbag.
Down at the Great Hall they decided to take seat at the Slytherin table for dinner. The new Firsties all looked at them rather oddly but didn't say a word, merely gave them room.
Harry turned to the Firsties as a whole and said, "You don't have to sit at your own House table for all meals; only the Sorting and Leaving Feasts. At all other meals you can sit where you like.
"So, if you have friends in other Houses, you can go and sit with them for meals, if you like. Don't ever allow anyone to tell you any different, alright?"
He received just under a dozen nods back from the wide-eyed Firsties. "Thank you," said one young girl.
As he was talking, Hedwig entered through the owl entry ports at the peak of the roof and flew down to land in front of him. As a snowy owl, she flies silently. His only indication she'd arrived was the sound of her landing just in front of his plate.
"Hello, girl!" he said to her, pulling an owl treat out of his robes and offering it to her. "Daphne has a letter for you to take to Cygnus. Alright?"
Hedwig bobbed her head once and turned to Daphne. She then tilted slightly to her side and lifted her, now higher, wing to allow the harness on that side to be accessed. Quite amused, Daphne attached the letter, combined with Harry's notes, to Hedwig's harness. And, said to the owl, "Thank you for doing this, Hedwig."
Standing back up straight Hedwig hopped up onto Daphne's shoulder and gave her cheek a bit of a rub before taking wing and flying back into the rafters.
"Wow, she's really smart!" said one of the Firsties.
Harry smiled back and said, "Hedwig is my bonded familiar, as well as being the owl of a Head of House. She's veryintelligent."
From behind, Harry heard Snape say, "You're not attempting to corrupt my little snakes are you, Potter?"
Harry smiled and turned to look at the man standing behind him. "Certainly not, Professor. I am, in fact, providing them with information concerning the relationship between myself and my bonded familiar; my owl, Hedwig."
Snape just huffed before moving away again.
Speaking along similar thoughts to his own, Tracey said, "You've got to admit, he might be a cranky mongrel at times; however, he sure takes looking after the members of his House quite seriously."
A few days later, on the Saturday, Harry was walking with the others from the Great Hall after enjoying dinner, down to the secret passage from the dungeons to the seventh floor when he heard a loudly whispering voice. It was a voice, a voice to chill the bone marrow, a voice of breathtaking, ice-cold venom. §Come come to me - Let me rip you - Let me tear you - Let me kill you... § Harry came to a sudden halt in the middle of the corridor in shock. Susan walked into his back, not expecting him to suddenly stop.
"Merlin, Harry!" she said a bit cross. "Why'd you stop like that?" "What?" he asked, trying to concentrate on what he heard.
"I asked you why you stopped like that," said Susan.
"No," said Harry frantically. "That voice!" "Sorry?" said Susan, looking puzzled. "What voice?" "That - that voice that said - didn't you hear it?" "What are you talking about, Harry?" asked Daphne. Harry didn't answer. He was straining his ears to hear the voice again, but there was no sound now except for the others all asking what he was talking about.
Shaking his head, he replied, "It - must have been nothing. I just thought I heard a voice..." Shaking his head again he said, "Forget it. I must be hearing things," and started walking again.
Two weeks later, Harry kept his promise to Hermione of the previous year. On her birthday he gifted her with a necklace. What he didn't tell her, but Daphne knew, it was from the Potter vaults and had certain charms placed upon it.
Along with the normal anti-theft charms it had a certain amount of protection from Hexes and Curses. It would also alert Harry, through his Head of House ring, if she was attacked by such anywhere within the castle or the close surrounding grounds.
The necklace had a large pyrope garnet shaped in a tear drop. It was a very dark red that worked well with her brown eyes and hair. It was encased in a nine carat gold basket frame and suspended on a twelve carat gold chain.
On seeing it, Hermione nearly burst into tears. Daphne hung it around her neck as the girl was unable to concentrate enough to operate the tiny clasp.
Holding the stone in the palm of her hand, Hermione said, "It's beautiful."
"It is," said Hannah. "And perfect for you."
Turning to Harry, she said, "You have excellent taste, Harry."
With a shrug, he replied, "Well, one of my ancestors did. I just saw it and thought how it suited Hermione. That's why I've gifted it to her. Besides, as her Protector, I have to go just that bit beyond the normal with gifts for her."
Hermione reached out and grabbed Harry on his forearm. "No, you don't," she said. "Making - no - accepting me as your protectee is more than enough."
Harry just chuckled and said, "No, I'm sorry; it doesn't work that way. I have to show everyone else I'm still fully committed to my role as your protector. The little bauble I've given you is a mark of that."
When Hermione looked to the others for confirmation as she withdrew her hand, they nodded back.
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