After a few quick pointers, they both managed the levitation spell quickly enough to earn points for their house. He had accomplished it immediately this time, now that he had practiced, but she was close behind. When they were awarded the points she smiled at him, and Harry attempted to return it convincingly.
Hermione and Daphne managed it too, but Hermione seemed to be driving Ron spare. Not that she was wrong about her corrections.
It's in her tone.
Harry had, however, seen Ron drive her to tears. While she was rude, and more than a little bossy, she didn't deserve that. She was just… lonely. Harry could, despite his misgivings, empathize with that.
Harry had been rather surprised when a prefect came to collect him after Transfiguration. Evidently, Dumbledore had asked to speak with him. He was concerned, and couldn't for the life of him figure out what it might be about. Was it the duel? Would he be sent away? He hoped not.
He apologized to his friends and followed Percy Weasley to a gargoyle. Percy gave it a password, chocolate frog, and it leapt to the side with surprising alacrity for something made of stone. Harry entered and knocked on the door.
"Come in, Harry."
He entered, noting how the door swung shut behind him of its own volition, and saw his magical guardian sitting behind the desk. The man was wearing bright orange robes which Harry was a little concerned might blind him if he stared too long.
"Hello sir."
"Have a seat, if you would?" He gestured to the chair opposite him, and it slid forward to accommodate Harry.
"I'm sure you are wondering why I invited you here." Harry nodded. "I recently heard that you demonstrated one of your unique abilities, particularly, your affinity for Slytherin's familiar."
Harry blinked. He wondered if the professor could say that five times fast. Then he realised the Headmaster seemed to be waiting for him to answer.
"Draco Malfoy summoned a snake, he used a spell, Serpensortia, and I didn't want to be bitten."
Dumbledore nodded. "I am glad you are not showing off your talents for the wrong reasons." He seemed proud, and Harry flushed slightly.
"However," Dumbledore stood. Harry braced himself for his expulsion. "It is not the only reason I brought you here. Tonight is, of course, Halloween. It is the anniversary of a dreadful night ten years ago. The night you received your scar."
"The night my parents died."
Dumbledore hummed thoughtfully. "I was concerned that the night might have some form of impact on your wellbeing. After all, this same night I also delivered you to your aunt and uncle. I was concerned you might have some… past history with them, because of that fact."
Harry shook his head and Dumbledore gave Harry a measured look. There was a beat of silence.
"I am told you asked Professor Flitwick about your mother, He always was proud of her as a student."
Harry remembered the Professor telling him a short story about his mother accidently changing the color of his father's hair in their first year, after he had stopped by and asked.
"He felt as though what he gave you was too little, and so provided me with this." He held up a silver vial and gestured to a cabinet. A silvery gleaming bowl emerged and floated over, settling down between them on the desk.
"These are your Professor's memories of your parents' wedding day. He attended as a guest, close as he was to your mother, even after she finished her education. This is a pensieve, a device for viewing the memories of another."
Harry frowned as Professor Dumbledore poured the memories into the bowl. That hadn't come up in his studies about memories.
"I invite you to view it Harry, as many times as you so desire. Then, when you are finished, I would like for you to rejoin your friends in the Great Hall for the Halloween feast." Dumbledore stood and departed the room. Leaving Harry alone with the memories, and his thoughts.
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When Harry left the room, what felt like hours later, he decided to write Professor Flitwick a thank you, at the very least. He knew why Dumbledore had left, he appreciated the gesture of privacy, though it would have been nice to know how the pensieve had worked. He wiped away his tears and cleared his mind. He had to be ready to rejoin the other students.
Harry recoiled as he foulest odour he had ever smelled drifted around the corner, accompanied by heavy, thudding footsteps that wouldn't have been strange from an elephant. He moved forward, still grimacing, and just spotted a lumbering figure press their bulk through a bathroom doorway. Then, he heard a scream.
He charged towards it, berating himself as he did. It was hard to miss the creature when he rounded the doorway. Twelve feet tall, with ears too large for its ridiculously proportioned head, and a club taller than he was. It knocked the sinks off the walls with a single swing, throwing porcelain shards everywhere as it stomped slowly towards a terrified Hermione Granger.
It turned at his intrusion, staring at him dumbly for agonizingly slow couple of seconds. That was how long it took to make up its tiny mind, shifting awkwardly to move towards him instead, already beginning to raise its club. As it did, Harry made his move.
"Flippendo!" He was more frantic and desperate than he had ever been when casting the spell before.
It struck the top of the club and rocked it into the troll's face using its own hand as a pivot, sufficient enough to deform the club where it struck. The troll collapsed to its knees, shaking its head with angry, confused noises.
I hope its concussed.Come on!" He shouted to Hermione, offering his hand. She leapt up and took it without hesitating, and they turned to run before the beast recovered. It made to stand up and placed a hand on the ground as Hermione ran by.