Letters To Harry | Harry Potter

Chapter Seventeen

 "Does your family really have to leave?" Rolf asked again. His voice sounded so sad that Declan regretted having to leave even more.

 "I wish we didn't have to," Declan said. "But my dad thinks it's best. He's still technically a Death Eater, Rolf, but he doesn't want to fight anymore. He's afraid Voldemort will come after us if he outright refuses."

 "But how is running away going to help?"

 Declan shrugged. "Well, if Voldemort is going to be taking over Britain, maybe if we go somewhere far away from here, it'll give us time, maybe even a chance for Harry to defeat him."

 "Does Harry have plans to defeat Voldemort?"

 Declan shrugged again. "I don't know. If he does, he hasn't told me. I...don't know if we're really friends. I wish we were. I like him."

 He stared out the window of the boys' dormitory, wondering how Harry's holiday had been. He certainly hoped it was a little more relaxing than his own.

~~~~~~

 It was the day of the match between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor. Declan and Rolf were in the Great Hall, already in the Quidditch uniforms, making sure they had a good breakfast before the match.

 Declan had heard about Ron Weasley being poisoned and ending up in the hospital wing. He was one of Harry's best friends and the keeper of the Gryffidor Quiddtich team.

 "Who do you suppose is going to fill in for him?" he asked Rolf.

 "That git McLaggen," Rolf said, nodding towards the Gryffindor table. "Really does sound like a git, from what I've heard. Well, let's hope this match goes well. We've already lost to Ravenclaw, and we'll have a hard time beating Slytherin, so we should make this one count."

 After breakfast, the boys left the Great Hall for the Quidditch Pitch. But before they could leave the castle, Declan spotted his cousin Draco walking along with two girls who looked just as sulking and sly-looking as him.

 "Hey, Rolf," he said, "Why don't you go on? I have to talk to Draco?"

 "Are you sure?" Rolf asked. "Maybe I should-"

 "No, you should go. It's some tricky family business I've been trying to figure out."

 Declan walked over to Draco and the girls and said, "Long time no see, cousin. I need to talk to you about something."

 "Oh, and what would you want to talk to me about?" Draco asked in a taunting tone. "Hear to give me tips on Care of Magical Creatures? You and your friend don't seem to be good at much else."

 "It's family business, Draco. Now, will you talk to me or not?"

 Draco gave a exasperated sigh. "Will you excuse us, girls? I need to talk to my poor cousin. He hasn't always been in his right mind, you know." When the girls were gone, he asked with a sneer, "What do you want? Isn't it time for Hufflepuff to go lose their next quidditch match?"

 "This is important," Declan said. "I need to know if you have taken your father's place as a Death Eater."

 "A Death Eater?" Draco repeated. "Me? You really are stupid, aren't you?"

 "I just want to know if it's true or not. Some people are beginning to think-"

 "By 'some people', I suppose you mean Potter," Draco snapped. "You think I don't know? I saw one of the little love letters you wrote him. Did you really think that would do anything? You should have known he wouldn't trust a Malfoy."

 "He does trust me," Declan declared, standing up straighter. "In fact, he likes me. I have friends, real friends, which is more than I say for you."

 Declan pushed past Draco and began to walk away, but he heard his cousin say his name, and he turned around. Draco now had a very grave and serious look on his face.

 "I'd watch myself if I were you," he said. "Tell your father the same thing. You are Malfoys, after all."

~~~~~~

 "Where is he?" Declan put down his broom and began to storm off towards the Gryfindor team.

 "Declan!" Rolf grabbed him by the arm. "You can't just go over there and-"

 "Oh, I can, and plan to!" Declan cried.

 As Rolf had said, Cormac McLaggen was filling in as keeper for Ron Weasley. All he had done was make a mess of things for Gryffindor, and he got Harry knocked in the head with a bludger and sent to the hospital wing. That was Declan was angry about.

 It took a few of the other team members to get Declan inside and away from McLaggen.

 "Let's go to the hospital wing, Declan," Rolf said. "You can see Harry and ask how he is."

 Declan nodded. "Fine. But if I see McLaggen again today-"

 "I know," Rolf sighed. "That's what worries me."

 The two made their way to the hospital wing, still in their quidditch robes. A few of the Gryffindor team members were already hanging around, and looked at them in surprise as they walked up.

 "You should go in," Rolf said to Declan. "I'll meet you back at the common room, yeah?"

 Declan went in alone to see Harry and Ron in beds side-by-side.

 "Declan." Harry tried to sit up, but he seemed like he still had some pain, so he lay back down again. "What are you doing here?"

 "I wanted...I saw you get hit with that bludger. That idiot McLaggen got you sent here. How are you?"

 "Could be better, but I'll be all right. Congrats on winning the match."

 "Oh." With all the worrying he had done about Harry, Declan forgot that his team should have been celebrating their victory. "Thanks. There'll probably be a party in the common room later. I just wanted to see you first."

 "Well...thanks, Declan. I'm glad you came. Hey, I was wondering if you've talked to your cousin Draco lately. I saw him before the match, and he seemed...well, not himself."

 Declan nodded. "I ran into him earlier, too. I tried talking to him, but he didn't give me an answer to any of my questions. I don't think I'd be able to get anything out of him. Hey, Harry?" he said. "If you ever want to...you know, study for classes together or do something else...I wouldn't mind."

 Harry nodded. "Yeah. Um, I'll remember that."

 Declan smiled. "All right. Bye, Harry." He turned to leave. "Feel better soon."

 He figured he may as well prepare himself for upcoming celebrations, and be glad the team won that day.