"I am telling you Dumbledore, he used wandless magic! Summoned a bezoar with his hand!"
"Now, now, Severus, calm down- lemon drop? - Are you certa-
"I SAW IT HAPPENING"
Panting, Snape stood in front of Albus, getting more and more annoyed by the second.
"Just why are you refusing to look into it?"
"My reasons are my own" Dumbledore said sternly, not losing the twinkle behind his glasses, "Are you starting to get concerned about the boy," smiling, his eyes looking knowingly at Severus, "He has Lilly's eyes-"
"About him?! He is arrogant, rude- just like his father. I am concerned, as you put it, with how he had come upon such knowledge!" His voice raising once again, "A first year, coming from the muggle world, knowing what a bezoar is, knowing how to summon it- A fourth year spell! So yes I am concerned- Even more so, by your lack of!"
Snape could have sworn the temperature dropped, masking his features and quickly calming down, he watched the headmaster thinking for a few moments. Not even with years of experience as a spy could he understand what thoughts were floating in that brain of his- what plans he was plotting. Was Harry the main player? Was he himself a pawn? Probably. But weren't they all, in the end? Chess pieces in a game between two powerful wizards.
"I will need you to follow him," Albus said thoughtfully, "The risk is too big, and we cannot lose him. Get closer to him, if you must, find everything there is to know."
Snape's mouth turned into a sneer. He would never get close to that boy. But to watch him- that he could do.
***
In the future Harry would absolutely deny stooping as low as to fall into Malfoy's taunts. But at that moment his pride was preoccupied with getting Neville's stupid memory-something-ball.
It all started a week prier when, with great excitement, it was announced that the first flying lesson would occur- and of course the Gryffindor's would be with the Slytherin's.
"Are they trying to get us all killed or...?" murmured Harry, although looking at the gossiping Lavender and Parvati he could definitely see the appeal. Not for the first time, he wondered what games the headmaster was playing at- putting the two houses together
From his now permanent place next to Harry, Ron said- "Shouldn't you be happy? You are the only one who can stand those slimy green snakes after all". Harry hadn't managed to change his mind about the different houses, not even with Amare, who kept hanging around them. The Slytherin's themselves were partially to blame. There wasn't a more annoying boy than Draco Malfoy. He had the tendency to insult Ron's family and laugh about whatever Harry was doing- and Harry, who was used to much worse, didn't pay attention, but Ron on the other hand, turned bright red and insulted back.
"I will pretend not to hear the venom in your voice and correct your statement- I can stand only one slimy green snake"
"Oh God, I will be making a fool of myself in front of Malfoy, Gran never allowed me on a broom- said it might not go up for me" sadly stated Neville . The poor boy. Secretly Harry wondered if such a thing could really occur- and if it did, Neville would certainly be a good contestant. He would never voice such thoughts out loud, of course, since the boy was the only one to stand behind Harry's decision to start a garden near the window at the dormitories.
"You don't know that you'll make a fool of yourself" said Ron uncertainly." Anyway, I know Malfoy's always going on about how good he is at Quidditch, but I bet that's all talk."
But was it all talk? Harry couldn't care less. He had enough problems to think about without obsessing over blond snobs. One thing yet to be solved was the matter of his wand. After reading a book from the library, which was certainly for a higher level than that of his own, Harry got to one simple conclusion. The shining lights coming from each individual were their magical cores. The reason why most had white to gray cores was probably due to age- it wasn't yet "tainted" with dark arts.
It didn't explain his own. No book described a blood red core.
***
It was the way he noticed the lack of mail Harry got, and the way he opened his own with such enthusiasm as they locked eyes, a smug smile always permanent.
It was the way he would look at Neville as he failed to make a decent potion, whispering cruel remarks behind his back.
It was the way he would joke about Ron's old robes, books and family- As if he wasn't just lucky to be born into a wealthy family.
He got underneath Harry's skin and taking Neville's gift as he was being led to the infirmary was just too much.
"Give it to me" Harry said, hand outstretched towards Malfoy, the wind gently swaying his black locks as he hovered high in the air.
"Or what?"
Harry smirked. He could do so much. He could knock him off his broom. Or do something worse. Much worse.
"You don't see me as a threat, and you shouldn't. You are, after all, too insignificant for me. Too small. Too weak. But," Malfoy's broom began to shake, just a little" you annoy me. And you annoy my friends. So next time you say something rude, or step out of line," the rememberall flew into Harry palm, the blond's eyes widened," I won't go after you. I will go after your pathetic friends and entitled family."
He happily left the git in the air, and felt no regret when, a few minutes after his own landing, Madam Hooch ran back into the grounds and started screaming bloody murder. Malfoys face, when he landed, was just a shade darker than Ron's hair-but being led towards the castle, he gave Harry one last look- and Harry could've swore he saw fear.
"He makes my blood boil"
"I know"
"I hate him"
"I know"
"He is so- so- annoying"
They were enjoying a quiet afternoon in the Library, the little specs of dust dancing in the thin lines of sunshine poking through the large windows. Carefully hidden between two large bookcases, Harry, in soft tones, told Amare about his wand, but quickly started to complain about Malfoy. The girl, in turn, opened an old book, answering absentmindedly and refusing to feed his anger.
"I don't understand why-
"Why he bugs you so much?" she loudly shut her book," isn't it obvious Harry?"
Rolling her eyes at his raised eyebrow she continued-"He annoys you because he has everything available to him in order to become a great wizard, yet chooses not to, preferring to brag instead. He annoys you because his childhood, unlike your own, was easy, and he takes everything he has for granted. And most importantly you are annoyed that he annoys you, since it's a constant reminder that you are still a child- easily angered by a school bully."
Harry blankly stared at the sun, moving his hand through the dust specs watching them scatter.
"You are right, of course"
"You are my brother- I know you" smiling, she took his hand" Which is why I also know that you are a great wizard, no matter how old you are."
Harry sighed and smiled gratefully at his friend, it really was a nice afternoon.
"You've gotten any letters from home?" He carefully asked, knowing what kind of a man her father was.
"Ah! I completely forgot!" jumping, she snatched her bag, furiously searching for something- "I did get a letter-it's rightttt –here"
A small package, carefully wrapped, was presented to Harry.
"Wah, that's..."
"Beautiful- isn't?"
And it was. Inside was a Rolex watch, with a ruby lion engraved behind the delicate clock hands. It must have cost a fortune.
"Look I also got one- a snake" hers had an emerald snake.
"Your father sure does know how to give presents"
"That he does"
He hadn't managed to visit the Slytherin common room yet- a fact that bothered him to no end. He saw the students slipping away beneath Malfoy's taunts at Gryffindor, Harry and Amare. Would he be able to influence them to trust him? The supposed "golden boy" and light savior?
Amare didn't speak about it a lot but Harry saw the treatment of her peers bothered her. She was practically an outcast in her own house and her relationship with the lions didn't help. Of course she was too proud to admit, but she wanted to feel welcomed, if only once. She hadn't yet grasped the pureblood rituals and traditions which were so important to the heirs surrounding her, plus the lack of general information about them in Hogwarts was frankly concerning. But she did smile brightly when little Loki hissed pleasantries in her ear during breaks, and when she excitedly dragged him to the grounds- just outside the Forbidden forest- to look at plants for her potions, Harry couldn't help but see her as a beaming light in this dark problem.
***
After learning that Harry was the one to go after Malfoy, Neville started talking to the boy much more. Harry didn't mind, plus it set the garden plan to motion. They spent Saturday morning in the empty dorm room, excitedly throwing different ideas, the small fire flickering happily as though excited with them. Convincing him to sneak into the greenhouse and steal plant seeds took some time, but after lunch they both hopped with mischief in their steps towards their target.
What Harry didn't anticipate was someone else forming the exact same plan.
"And what are you two fine gentlemen doing here at such a nice hour of the day?"
"We could ask you two fine gentlemen the same question"
"Have you heard Fred? We are fine gentlemen"
"Mom would be so proud"
"Are you going to-o-o tell someone we-e-"
"And to stop such nice mischief from accruing?"
"No I don't think so George"
"Glad we are on the same page Fred"
Harry gave the twins a calculated look. They were unpredictable, loud and got into trouble daily, but they had something he wanted.
"You could snitch to a teacher about us..."he slowly said," and I could in turn say that I was just following my older peers, as they showed me around the grounds. Imagine my surprise when they led my into the greenhouses and even-"putting on a shocked face" asked me to steal something for them"
The twins shared a look and smirk. "But we wouldn't want that? Wouldn't we?"
"No no no. We will make you a deal"
"A deal?"
"You want something from us, we aren't dumb, right Forg?"
"Right Gred. And we want something from you."
Nodding curiously he watched them. People really didn't give them enough credit.
"you summoned a bezoar in Snapy's class-
"without a wand-
"and without a spell-
"and we want to know-
"how"
That he could do. Harry didn't know what amused him more- the twins little speech or Neville's shocked face.
"If you were caught each time you did a prank, you'd have already been on your way home" Harry stated," that's my part of the deal- I want to know how. How do you sneak around? How do you stay invisible?"
"Deal"
Slowly they walked up to the castle, with pockets full of unfamiliar and useful seeds. Neville had been rather quite after the strange exchange with the two redheads, which allowed Harry's mind to wander. It was the beginning of October and the first month at Hogwarts was rather interesting, but not in any way he could have predicted. The lessons were below his level and no peer challenged him magically, plus the strange way Professor Snape's eyes followed his every breath put him in slight unease. But on the other hand, his wand and power preoccupied most of his time. The fact he was one of the few select in the world who could perform wandless magic as if it were nothing was quite the revelation and really made him question the ease with which he shared his power to the world. It would do no good for authorities to start looking into his life, and one set of eyes on him was more than enough.
But as he kept walking calmly he couldn't shake the slight weight on his back, even though as he looked around, they were completely alone in the peaceful afternoon.
***
"Sneaking around, making deals, using wandless magic ... Just what are you up to, Harry Potter, what are you hiding?"