In His Shadow (A Harry Potter Fan Fiction)

Chapter 17- The Astronomy Tower

I stared at him,

“What? Are you ill?”
He burst out laughing,

“Only joking with you, newbie. I still hate the man.”

Professor Snape dismissed us, and I waved goodbye to Fred and George. Eleanor smirked,

“Not going with them?”

I gave her a dirty look, and walked quickly down the corridor. When I was sure she couldn’t see me any more, I made my way towards the Astronomy Tower.

Harry was standing alone with his hands in his pockets. I grinned,

“Hello Harry.”

He smiled and hugged me tightly,

“I wasn’t sure if you’d come.”
“Of course I came! Are you alright?”

He shrugged,

“I suppose I’ve been better.”

I glanced down at his hands, and a gasp escaped my lips. Harry frowned,
“Ava? What is it?”

I lifted up one of his hands and studied it closely. It was red raw, and engraved in blood into his skin were the words I must not tell lies.

I gulped,

“Harry! Who’s been doing this to you?”

He pulled his hand away and put it in his pocket,

“Professor Umbridge has been making me write lines during my detentions.”

My eyes narrowed,

“I hate that woman. Why haven’t you told Professor McGonagall, or even Dumbledore?”

He shook his head,

“Dumbledore has a lot on his mind right now. I don’t want to make him have to worry about something else.”

“Do Ron and Hermione know?”

He nodded,
“I’ve made them promise not to tell anyone. You can’t either! Anyway, I wanted to ask how Hogwarts has been for you so far.”

I shrugged,

“It’s been alright, I suppose. The Slytherins are watching me like hawks, and Professor Snape is inviting me to extra tuition in his office this evening. Apart from that, it’s okay. What about you? Is everything okay?”

Harry smiled sadly,
“I’ve been better.”

I put my arm around his shoulder,

“Don’t worry. Things will get better, I’m sure of it.”

*                    *                    *

I took a deep breath and knocked three times on Snape’s office door. He mumbled,

“Come in, Miss Potter.”

I stepped in, closing the door behind me. Professor Snape was sitting behind his desk. I sat down opposite him. I felt nervous. The Potions teacher had scared me when I first saw him at Grimmauld Place.

He passed me a heavy textbook,

“Read through this. It tells you instructions on how to make the most basic of potions. It seems you have to start from the very beginning.”

I opened the cover and started to read through the first chapter. The potions looked so much easier than the ones I had been studying with Fred.

I read the ingredients and instructions, and then Snape would ask me a series of questions on that potion. It was helping me learn well, but I couldn’t help but notice the way he was looking at me. His gaze was so intense, and he almost looked sad. I wanted to say something, but I wasn’t sure what, so I just kept my mouth shut.

After an hour, Professor Snape let me go. I quickly made my way to the common room. I had a Potions essay to complete, and I now understood the topic a bit more.

Draco smiled from his seat by the fire,
“How was the extra Potions class?”

I shrugged,

“It was okay, I suppose. Anyway, I have an essay to write.”

I wanted to avoid sitting with him again. He grinned,

“Go and get the parchment from your dormitory and write it in here. It wouldn’t hurt.”

I gulped,

“I’d quite like to work in the quiet so I’m not distracted.”

He rolled his eyes,

“We’ll help you with it, Potter. Now quickly go and get your parchment.”

I groaned inwardly, defeated. I knew that if I didn’t do what he said, someone would probably chain me down to a chair beside him. Either way, I had to sit with Draco.