After The Game
"Longbottom played well, better than all of last year actually, even with the Bludgers seeming to come solely after him," Terry commented before discreetly looking at Harry. "You worried, Harry?"
Honestly, he felt a bit sorry for the Gryffindor Seeker, having to spend a whole night in the hospital wing after the incompetent DADA professor vanished his bones by mistake.
"No, he lucked out with that catch, and the fact that Malfoy was too busy laughing to notice the Snitch was right behind him for nearly a whole minute," he answered, shaking his head at the Slytherin Seeker's stupidity.
"However, I will admit that Longbottom is a better player than Malfoy was. Anyways, I'll see you guys in a bit," he said before turning his attention to the quiet Luna, who seemed to have blended into the background and was wearing a dreamy expression.
"Luna, if you need a hand with anything you just have to ask," he offered, reminding everyone that the first-year was still there.
Not getting a response, and not really expecting one right away, he headed over to his Head of House's office before sitting down outside the door to wait for the Professor to return from the pitch.
He didn't have to wait long; only a few minutes had passed before the diminutive Ravenclaw Head appeared.
"Harry?" the man exclaimed, surprised at Harry's presence before quickly gathering his wits.
"What can I help you with?"
"Can we talk in private?" Harry requested, gesturing to the office.
"Of course," he said, before opening the door and leading his student in.
"Now, what is it you wish to talk about?"
"Cho Chang and her friend Marietta," he replied, once again throwing the professor for a loop at mention of the girls.
"During the run-up to the Quidditch match, she was throwing balls of cold water at Luna Lovegood, and frankly I thought you would like to know that you have two third-years harassing a first-year," he explained, testing to see where the professor stood on the issue of bullying in the house.
"Did anyone else see this?" the Charms Master asked.
"I'm not sure. Padma did, at the very least, because she suggested we invite Luna to sit with us, but Luna caught them doing it and I got the impression from her actions that this was a regular thing."
The Professor sat heavily down in his chair, but Harry stayed standing.
"Most troubling. There's not much I can do unless Luna complains, or they do something that could be classed as beyond a mere prank and put her in the hospital wing, unfortunately, or I catch them in the act myself. But I'll keep an eye on them, and inform the Prefects of the issue, since this is one of their primary responsibilities."
"I take it you're going to keep an eye on Luna, as you seem to have taken the young girl under your wing, if you don't mind the pun?" he inquired, smiling at his own joke.
Harry worded his reply carefully. He disliked bullies, but he wasn't responsible for students' behavior.
"The best I can, but I have my own life to lead and I can't play bodyguard. I also have my own problems. Being around me could put the girl in unnecessary danger; I can't protect her and myself," he said plainly.
The Professor nodded understandingly.
"Indeed, you are correct. I was wondering if you would do me a service?"
"That depends," he answered, not promising anything more than listening to the Charms Master's proposal.
"I would like to suggest a similar arrangement to last year. Instead of Penny, you monitor and guide Luna's development," Flitwick proposed.
"I thought you needed to be a Prefect to do that job?" Harry questioned, wondering why he was getting such a responsibility.
"Harry, your end-of-year exam results were outstanding; your lowest mark was 95 percent and that was History of Magic. And that was only because you outright challenged the material's validity. Your average mark was 97 percent with Charms, and 99 percent on Transfiguration. You also happen to be a student role model, amply demonstrated by you being here telling me about Luna's situation, when it should rightfully be the Prefects telling me and watching out for bullies."
Harry didn't let his surprise show at being told exactly how well he had done last year – he was only given Os and sometimes whether he'd placed first in his year for that subject – he replied,
"I just know the material and the exam was pretty simple, not really much to it."
He thanked the mind arts, personally, for the degree of his success.
"And I'm hardly a role model, remember me skipping DADA? Speaking of which, when is our first private lesson going to be? I understand last week it couldn't happen due to the match and today's lesson being cancelled due to Quidditch..." he said, reminding the professor of their bargain.
"You failed to mention stunning and kidnapping a Professor," the now sly-looking Head of House pointed out.
"And then locking him in a classroom with a silencing charm on the door."
He put on a neutral expression.
"I neither confirm nor deny that allegation," he countered, not really surprised.
"On an unrelated note, you said I had to go to DADA, not that the Professor had to be there to teach it."
Flitwick hummed thoughtfully and decided to get the conversation back on track.
"I have every intention of giving you duelling lessons, do not worry about that. I merely wish to delay it until next year. With the Chamber of Secrets opening, I've been asked to help patrol the school by the Headmaster. I also have a few problem students this year who have asked for additional tutoring for their OWLs."
Harry accepted the situation for what it was. Harry's needs weren't worth more than an entire year of students preparing for a life-changing exam and the school's safety.
"Fair enough, I don't mind delaying it," he admitted.
"But mentoring Luna will still take a lot of my time."
"You don't need to tutor her, she's a very bright girl, but I just want someone to keep an eye on her, someone closer to her age, rather than an older student like Penny was to you," Filius explained.
"Consider this the price for me keeping quiet about you stunning a Professor," the small professor said with a confident grin, reminding him far too much of his account manager.
"Fine, but you tell her about it," Harry bargained.
"I'll talk to her later," the smaller man accepted.
'That's the last time I help someone out of the good of my heart...' he mentally groaned as he left the office.
...
( Songbird Rooms – Sunday Evening )
"Here guys and girls, this is what I have on the chamber," Harry announced, handing out a copy of the file he'd created to everyone in the room. The next couple of minutes passed in silence as they all closely read their copy of the file.
"Interesting stuff," Tonks spoke up, still looking over the parchment.
"Who would believe Hagrid was responsible? The man loves his beasts, but he's never hurt someone intentionally, and why Muggleborns? He's a half-giant, wouldn't he lash out at Pureblood elitists instead?"
"I agree, Hagrid is too kind-hearted to intentionally unleash a monster," Penny agreed, coming to the half-giant's defence.
"What about this guy, Tom Riddle, who supposedly caught Hagrid?"
"Not much is known about him except that he's an orphan and a Muggleborn. He eventually became Head Boy, and was rewarded for special services to the school for capturing the one responsible for opening the Chamber," Harry listed, pulling out a copy of the old *Prophet* article.
"He must have been something special," Daphne finally added in an admiring tone whilst looking over the file, before explaining,
"Back then blood purity was an even bigger deal than it is now. To rise to the top in Slytherin he had to have been very talented, especially being a Muggleborn with no money or name of any value... no offense, Penny," she added as she realized how her words could be taken.
Penny waved her off though, "None taken."
"He disappeared a couple years after school," Tracy read.
"Then came back, then disappeared again. The Headmaster would have been the Transfiguration Professor during his time here."
"This stinks of a set-up," Blaise deduced, voicing Harry's own private opinion.
"Agreed, there's no way that Hagrid would still be on the grounds if the Headmaster seriously thought that he was responsible. I think we need to find out more about this Tom Riddle, and maybe ask Hagrid about it," Harry planned.
"Oh God," Padma blurted out in shock, getting the whole room's attention.
"What?" Harry asked as everyone looked at Padma, who had gone rather pale.
...
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