The Darkening of Your Soul

Chapter 25

Some of Harry’s conflicting thoughts must have been visible on his face because Tom gave a few slow nods. “Ah,” he said and his expression was the most complicated Harry had ever seen it. Somehow it simultaneously conveyed deep offense and endless amusement. “You believe I wanted to help matters along with old Arcturus even though your godfather is still in Azkaban and killing Arcturus would serve absolutely no purpose at this time. Not to mention, Arcturus died around November in our previous lives anyway. I remember Quirrell mentioning the obituary when I was stuck as a parasite on his head.” Tom’s smile was genial but his tone was just a little bit too sharp.

Well, when you put it like that. Harry felt very foolish for having even considered Tom might have done it without considering why he would do it. “Sorry,” he blurted, cheeks heating with embarrassment. “I didn’t know when Arcturus had died in our previous life.” Harry gave a helpless shrug. Back in his original first year Arcturus Black, or any member of the Black family, wouldn’t have meant a thing to Harry, so any announcements about them would have gone completely over his head. “It’s just such a weird coincidence, considering our conversation of last night.”

“Yes, but a coincidence nonetheless.” Tom’s tone was softer now and his smile utterly indulgent. “Now, don’t you have a class to attend?”

Harry’s eyes widened as he inhaled a sharp breath. “Yes. Fuck. I’m so late.”

“Go,” Tom said with a chuckle. “We’ll talk more tonight.”

“Yeah, bye.” Harry snapped the mirror shut, shoved it in his pocket and hurried out of the classroom. It still took him at least five minutes to get to the greenhouse.

“Mr Potter?” Sprout gasped in surprise as Harry burst through the door. “You are awfully late.”

“Sorry. Had to use the loo and got dizzy, couldn’t make it in time,” Harry said in between deep breaths.

Sprout offered him a kind smile and waved him to his usual table with Theo, Blaise, Ernie and Justin. Harry tried not to feel too guilty about shamelessly using his recent traumatic brain injury to his advantage.

“Mr Malfoy,” Sprout called across the greenhouse. “You’re scaring your lavender with your hat. Remove it, please.”

Draco glared at Sprout with all his might but she remained resolute and pantomimed removing a hat at him several times before Draco finally gave in and pulled his pointy hat from his head, his long, grey donkey ears springing free and flopping around a few seconds before they finally stood upright.

All around them students giggled, including Harry and his friends.

“Now, students, it’s not very nice to make fun of a fellow student for his physical deformity,” Sprout scolded as she looked pointedly at the sniggering students. Draco looked like he wanted to hex her for daring to refer to any part of him as a ‘physical deformity’. “Enough, children. Back to your lavender. It’s not going to bloom on its own!” Sprout marched up the isle, giving any student in her path a firm glance and everyone quieted down while turning back to their plants.

Harry bit his lip to stop from laughing. Seeing this snooty, arrogant version of Draco Malfoy being made fun of was endlessly entertaining. It might help bring him down enough to everyone else’s level so he’d turn into a tolerable individual before long.