Harry-Dementor

17- The Perfect Day

"Why did you tell them?" Neville asked the Valkyrie as they approached the door to the room used by the HSMC.

"They either already know or will know about Harry," Eir shrugged. "Everyone can see how close they all are, and I would bet my favorite dagger that his species has more prejudice and restrictions on it than mine, so I'm not overly concerned. Besides, like I said, my species isn't vilified as much as others. My only danger is that You-Know-Who would try to recruit me and Kara because of what we are. That's our main reason for secrecy."

"Ron and Hermione actually already know about me, and they'll keep your secret. All three of us are fair game to be murdered by Voldemort, so we'd never tell him about you," Harry grinned at the girl who was quickly becoming a close friend, even with their age difference.

"Great! Now you just need to tell the rest of us," he earned a mischievous grin from Eir before she opened the door.

Neville patted him on the shoulder comfortingly before hurrying in and looking at the snack table. "I see you were successful in shaking off Snuffles," Harry smiled at the dog-less Snape who was drinking a goblet of what was definitely blood in the corner.

"That name is utterly ridiculous, and the mutt is ruining my reputation," the man sneered. "I promise to eat any additional strays that should show up at my door without prejudice!"

"He makes you much more approachable, Severus," Ginny smiled at him as she walked over and hugged Harry's waist.

"My point exactly," Snape gave her a dark look.

"Hey, he helped out in class today!" Harry laughed at the man's consternation. "My potion definitely would have exploded, and Draco's would have been useless without his help."

Snape just glowered as Colin was bouncing around the room. "Calm down you idiot and just tell us what happened!" Draco growled out in amused annoyance.

"Romilda Vane agreed to go to Hogsmeade with me for Valentine's Day!" Colin called out with a crow of celebration.

Harry put an arm around Ginny's shoulders and looked at him questioningly. "What happened to Hannah Abbott?"

"Keep up, Harry," Graham grinned at him with an amused gleam in his eye. "Colin moved on from her a week ago. Now he thinks Vane will be his mate."

"For the millionth and one time…you won't know until you turn 17!" Draco threw his arms up and plopped down on the couch beside where Neville was eating a sandwich.

"No sense not being prepared," Dennis disagreed, coming to his brother's defense. The two had already lowered their glamours, and Dennis was rolling his sleeves up, showing the dark, druidic runes covering his skin in highly magical patterns.

"Hey, can we drop glamours now?" Aceline asked excitedly, turning to Snape. "You think Umbridge is definitely gone? My wings have been cramped for far too long!"

Snape looked at Harry with a warning glare in his eyes. The man obviously didn't think Harry should remark on Umbridge, but this wasn't just any group of people. They had so many secrets between them, and they were all scared. This was the HSMC, the creatures' safe space; did he tell them; did he keep it a secret? Normally, the safe answer to that would be to lie and keep the secret, what Snape was obviously pushing for, but the fear the woman caused in the creature community was palpable. If there was any group of people who would be assured to keep his secret and that also deserved to know, it was this one. She was the boogey man that creature children were taught to fear. Neville however looked up at him with an encouraging smile and Harry sighed out, tightening his grip on Ginny a bit, hoping she wouldn't leave him.