How Fate Intended by hoboheartache on ao3

46. Basket Case

Shuffling through some papers tiredly, Remus pulled out a blank piece of parchment and started writing a quick letter out to the boy, perhaps they could have a conversation over tea?

Days passed, and Harry was on his way to his first Ancient Runes class, which he shared with Blaise. The other boy had gotten notably less tense as the days went by, but was still wound up quite a bit. They walked quietly to the classroom, having nothing to talk about that wouldn't potentially cause an explosive argument.

"I'm trying to make a rune scheme to protect my muggle devices from magic, any ideas?"

That did the trick, and the boys launched into a heated debate over the inter-complexities of protection runes and how they might interfere with dodgy things like electronics. Harry soon realized that they both would likely find the runes class rather boring, as Blaise could already probably get an O on the Runes OWL. He told the other boy that, and observed passively as he became extremely insulted.

"What, don't think I could manage the NEWT?"

"Oh! I'm sorry, have you created your own rune scheme?"

"Have you?"

"Naturally."

"Bloody-gifted bastard."

Tom had insisted that he learn how to draw runes the second his hands were physically able to hold a pencil, and it had been an upward battle for a few years as his motor functions continued to develop, but Harry had eventually gotten quite adept in the practice. Though, since you could only do self study under very specific circumstances, Harry had been forced to take the class anyway, at least for the year till he could test out. Blaise had been studying runes for the majority of the last year for his pledge, and since he had to understand the obnoxiously ornate runes scheme to be able to use it; he had done a lot of studying of runes and their alphabets, as well as a considerable amount of theory-and that was only the studying that Harry knew about, there was no telling what he had been doing over the summer.

Ancient Runes had potential to be an interesting history lesson for them, and Professor Babbling was well known for being quite ingenious, perhaps Harry could approach her for an apprenticeship and learn a few things.

Walking into the classroom, Harry observed the area with interest. He had never been in the room in his last life, and it had an interesting layout he didn't see in the rest of the school. The entire wall behind the teacher's desk was one big chalkboard, and the desks were set up in crescent moons branching out from the front. All the other walls were covered floor to ceiling in bookshelves, which were in turn stacked to the brim with various books. It was quite large, but felt a tad cramped from all the space taken up.

He settled down at a desk, still looking around with interest, the chalkboard was empty at the moment, though that could change in a heartbeat. Blaise was next to him, already jolting down runes from various alphabets-as if he didn't already have them memorized.

"Trying to take my crown as universal teacher's pet, eh Zabini?" Blaise glared at him, it lacked heat.

"I'm not gonna compete with you and Granger for that spot."

"Oh come on mate, you can hardly consider her whining to be 'competing' with me."

Snickering, the two boys turned back to gathering up their stationary. Harry knew that Granger had to have the time turner this time around as well, though he had no intention of letting her keep it. Sure, stealing the thing from the girl was risky, but stealing from the ministry or-god forbid-trying to find a stable one on the black market, was much worse. He could handle one sleep deprived third year with a superiority complex, especially since said third year still had the irrationality curse on her.