"Hey, Potter!"
Harry tossed his dirty quidditch jersey in his locker and looked up at the sound of Angelina Johnson's voice.
"Keep your chin up, yeah? We know you're not the type to cheat."
He nodded and smiled weakly at his captain as she exited the locker room. Now alone, he slumped on the bench, his face a picture of misery. Everyone else had showered and left, but he remained at his locker, unable to summon the energy to wash up and face the castle.
Things had been going so well. No Dark Lords. No basilisks. No escaped convicts. A normal fourth year at the school he considered his home. Even the quidditch season had been restored after the Captains rose up en masse, demanding that the teams be allowed to play despite the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Last week Gryffindor had trounced Ravenclaw and he had been carried into the common room on the Weasley twins' shoulders, celebrated by all.
But now all that was gone, an illusion shattered by a stupid magical cup.
Just like his second year, it seemed as if the entire school had turned on him. Liar—Cheater—Coward. Those were the words he heard whispered about him in the hallways. Even his supposed best friend was getting in on the act. Ron had publicly berated him in the Great Hall and insulted him with more venom in private. It stung Harry more than he was willing to admit.
Though Ron had not disowned him, only Hermione stood closely by his side now. He didn't want to know what Hogwarts would be like without a single friend. But perhaps he had others. If Angelina's words were any indication, maybe not everyone believed the worst of him.
That cheering thought gave him the energy to stand and undress. Moments later he was standing under the shower and letting hot water run down his body, willing it to wash his worries away.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Two girls stood just outside the building that hosted the Gryffindor locker room, a room they had recently exited. The evening sun was setting, reflecting brilliantly against the windows of the castle.
"You really think he's ready?" Katie asked.
Angelina shrugged. "Dunno, but I think he damn sure needs it. He looks like someone just burned his broom."
"What if he freaks out?"
"Don't let him. Just go slow. You know how many times we've caught him staring at you. He'll listen to you, at least."
"Yeah, but…"
"What? You think it should be someone else?"
"No, I want to do it, but I don't want him to get the wrong idea. What if he thinks I'm a slag? I don't want Harry to look at me like that."
"It'll be fine. Just be straight with him. Help him realize how much he needs this, and then he'll be just as much of a slag as you are, won't he?"
Katie snorted at her captain. "Says the Queen Whore herself. Merlin…I'm about to corrupt The-Boy-Who-Lived, aren't I?"
"Consider it an honor, girl. I have a feeling he'll be very popular in our little club. I'm pretty damn curious about him myself."
"He might be terrified."
"You were terrified too, and look at you now. My gut tells me this is exactly what he needs."
Katie looked back at the door to the locker room. "I hope you're right."
"I am. Go get him, tiger. Let's hope you miss dinner tonight."
Angelina slapped her on the ass and walked toward the castle, leaving the younger girl staring at the door.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Harry had just finished donning his Hogwarts uniform when he heard someone enter the locker room. He looked up to see Katie Bell standing in the doorway, watching him with an uncharacteristically nervous expression.
"Hey, Harry."
"Katie. Forget something?"
"No, I wanted to talk to you. Have you got a minute?"
He shrugged and closed his locker. "I've got lots of minutes."
"You've had a rough few days, haven't you? That's sort of what I wanted to talk about."
He sat back down on the bench and watched her curiously. "What's up?"
She joined him on the bench. "I believe you about the tournament. The whole team does. I'm sorry you're getting treated like shit."
He smiled at her. "Thank you. I wish everybody felt that way."
"I just wanted you to know that you've got friends outside of Ron and Hermione and—"
"I wouldn't exactly call Ron a friend at the moment."
She winced. "He made quite an arse of himself in the Great Hall, didn't he?"
"He did."
She didn't speak again for a moment, and the silence grew awkward. She stared up at the ceiling. "Merlin, why is this so hard?"
"What do you mean?"
She took a deep breath. "Harry, do you think I'm a bad person?"
"What? Of course not."
"Good, because I'm not. Do you trust me not to do something that would hurt you?"
"Er, yes, I do. What's this about?"
She pulled some parchment from within her robes and unfurled it. "There's something I want to talk to you about. But it's something secret. I can't tell you much unless you're willing to sign this contract."
She placed the parchment and a jet black quill between them on the bench, and Harry looked at it warily. His only experience with a magical contract was the Goblet of Fire, and that one was the source of his present misery.
"What kind of contract?"
"Nothing bad," she said hurriedly. "It's just to ensure the privacy of the others in the club. I—I didn't even tell you it was a club, did I? Shit."
"No, you didn't."
"Merlin, I'm botching this. I'm talking about a club within Gryffindor, Harry. A secret club. I can't tell you who's in it or what…what we're about, unless you sign this parchment. It's to protect people's privacy, and only that. There are strong charms on it, but there aren't any bad consequences for breaking it, because you literally can't."
"What does that mean?"
"It means the charms will stop you from talking about, er, events within the club with people who aren't a part of it. I've tested them, and it's nothing painful. The charm just reminds you of its existence."
Harry stared at the parchment. He was almost afraid to touch it. "I don't understand. Why all the secrecy if this is nothing bad?"
"It's not bad. It's just something that…not everyone would approve of. The club has been around for a long time, and the people there are like a little family. Sort of. I can't give you details, but you'd have friends there, and you'd make some new ones."