Of Course, things started to go south. Their peaceful tranquility broken by the sudden petrifying of people with a bloody message made from Filch's cat Mrs. Norris saying the chambers of something or another had opened. Harry was immediately being pointed to as the person who had done it seeing as he was the one to find Mrs. Norris after having helped his father grade papers.
So being avoided by anyone but his friends began. Daphne told anyone off along with Blaise, Neville and Hermione comforted him when he felt down about it and Draco stuck to his side like glue to keep Ronald Weasley off his back. As the Red head seemed to attack him about it every once in awhile whenever he could. Though never in the presence of his older twin brothers.
Percy had caused a scene with Filch when he had wanted to punish Harry for his cats petrifaction, but Percy wouldn't allow it as he knew his son was innocent. He absolutely tore him a new one as well as any other teacher who even tried to get harry to 'confess'. And lets not forget when he stared down Dumbledore for even suggesting to put Harry under potion, Veritaserum, to see about a confession. But it was illegal to do to a child in the first place. Severus backing him up as Harry was not only one of his snakes, but also his friends son.
Not only that, but Percy had started to have Harry stay in his personal dorms considering even some of the Slytherins didn't like him being there, mostly first years and some other second years, but Harry hated being there with them.
When Dumbledore started to push Percy to allow for the partaking of the potion, was when Percy started to be suspicious of the man before them. The supposed grandfatherly old man, seemed more vile and malicious then Percy originally thought. Not only by the basic gut feeling he got, as well as his godly powers, But because the man tried to sway him with Legilmency. Illegal in the wizarding realm, but he couldn't report it, as who would believe him? He was nobody in the wizarding world, and Dumbledore had many roots so deeply ingrained he was afraid if he started cutting it would only make them more solidly linked underground. Making him look bad.
Sighing Percy leaned back in his own space, right now he was lounging in his lounge area, a cup of coco on the coffee table most likely cold from sitting so long. but he could heat it easily, but his mind was preoccupied. Biting his lower lip, he sat up as he had a sudden thought come across his mind. Quickly summoning some paper, he wrote out what he needed and quickly sent it off to Hermes. He was hoping for it to be as quick as he thought it should be but then again he wasn't sure of when his response would get back to him as fast as he wanted.
"Dad?" he heard the sleepy voice of Harry's and found himself turning to see his son rubbing at his eyes, in the doorway of the bedroom. "What are you doing up?" He asked as yawned and walked over. Sitting beside his father before snuggling into his side.
"Well, just thinking is all, what are you doing up?" He asks as he gets a blanket and some coco to give to him, wrapping him up as he took his first sip.
"Nightmare...." They didn't say anything for a moment. "About the Dursleys..." Percy hugged him close and kissed the top of his head. "I was living with them again for some reason, I think I was older, but I was saved by the twins and Draco. But you were...you weren't there, like you disappeared...That's what made me wake up and find you."
"I'm not going anywhere, never. Okay?" He made a teary Harry look up at him. "Never ever, I will always be by you. Always." Harry nodded before putting his head to his fathers chest and let go a few tears, but ultimately felt a lot better.
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"Okay so, if we want to clear Harry's name, we're going to have to figure out who's actually behind all of this." Hermione said one day as they were eating Lunch in Percy's classroom, at the moment, The professor and father was getting Severus out of his dungeon to eat as he was getting potions and ingredients ready for petrified students.
"And how do you suppose we do that?" Draco asks as he glances at her from his homework from last class.
"By researching dummy." She huffed as she rolled her eyes at his behavior. Ignoring the glare sent her way from insulting him. She had become alot more brazen towards the group, though they didn't mind, they actually like that she had a much more confident side, and felt like she could have been Slytherin if she didn't jump in front of a train before thinking sort of Gryffindor thinking she had inside her brilliant mind. "Just, Harry said he hears talking in the walls, and we all know he can talk to snakes, so a snake being controlled by someone obviously, as well we should search about where the chambers would be, or could be. Anything like that would be a big help in clearing his name."
Daphne nodded, "I'm down, its best that we clear his name before another glaring contest erupts from Professor Percy and Dumbledore arise." She pointed out. "Which by the way Harry, if the Headmaster calls you to his office, don't go without your Father or Snape." She turned to pointedly to stare into his bright Avada eyes.
He rolls his eyes but agrees. "I know, my dad told me to stay away from Dumb old door, so I am. Even Snape did."
"Snape did what?" Said professor drawled as he walked in beside Percy who only looked on in amusement.
"Nothing Professor." They all said together before talking about what to study next for history while the adults sat down a bit away to have their normal lunch activities.
_______
Hermione sighed as she closed another book, her bushy brows meeting together as she frowned, she had yet to really find anything in her spare time, she had even taken to the library more often then not, considering she was getting increasingly worried about Harry. Her friend.
Gritting her teeth she stood abruptly to take the book back to its place and get another, and it continued on towards dinner, classes having ended awhile ago. Until she finally found what she was looking for and she grimaces, who would have thought it was something as dangerous as a basilisk? Sighing she grabbed some paper and wrote out what she found, then went to finding out about the chamber.
When she found that, or at least a name of a previous person who had died due to when it was opened last, she wrote that down as well, before grabbing her pocket mirror for protection as it was late and mostly everyone would be at dinner, including her friends.
But as she was walking she heard hissing begin as well as something moving around in the walls, her breath hitched as she started to pick up her pace using the mirror as help in her protection, her hand holding the paper with her notes, crumbled up in how tight she held it.
Then she saw yellow eyes in the little mirror she screamed before suddenly, she couldn't move, and everything went dark.
Everyone started to worry for Hermione when she didn't come back for dinner. So when McGonagall told them to follow her, their hearts sank. They found themselves in the infirmary and walking towards an occupied bed. The first to make a noise was Daphne as she gasped in shock, her hands coming up to her mouth and her eyes widening.
Yet, Harry was the first to move as he got closer. "No..." Hermione it was indeed. He hadn't wanted to believe it but there she was, staring off with wide eyed and a shocked open mouth. her hand out with a mirror and the scared look still in her eyes. Tears licked at his eyes as he saw his friend in such a state. "Mione?" He finally spoke, and found that the rest of their group surrounded her were also shocked and sad.
Hermione, Their friend was petrified.
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That night Percy found a group of kids sleeping in his lounge area, sticking close to one another with red lined eyes evidence of irritated ones from crying. He felt his heart pinch before he sighed and changed the couches to a large bed for them to sleep comfortable. Then he draped them with a blanket. Even though there was a girl in the group he let it be, he had done the same with old friends way back.
He went towards his bathroom when he was stopped by a hand to his sleeve. "Dad..." He looked down to an upset Harry and smiled softly at him. "Is she really going to be okay?" he asks.
Percy kneeled down and rubbed his hand through the black locks with a soft smile, his thumb rubbing at a fading scar. "Yes, she'll be perfectly fine as soon as she gets the potion, but its going to take a bit for the mandrakes to be ready. So you'll have to wait for her okay? And when she's up and about help her catch up a bit yea?"
"Yeah okay." Harry nodded before closing his eyes, tired from the emotional day, he fell asleep shortly after.
Percy got up, kissing Harry's head before softly glaring at Draco snuggling closer to Harry, but he ignored it for now, but he thinks he should probably keep an eye on him.
With that, Percy himself went off to bed after a nice long shower-hoping that this all would get resolved soon.