istentoallthesafetywarningsthathermionehadforedheandrontositthroughwhentheyfirstdeidedtohoosethisastheirareerpn.(beausereally,youthinkthetwoofyouwouldn’thavekilledyourselvesbythethirdyearifyoudidn’thavemewithyou?)hejuststoodthere,adjustedhisgriponhiswand,gaveanodtotheinstrutor,andthenwaitedforthespelltoomeathim.

onlywhenitame,hedidn’tblokit.hedidn’traisehiswandtodefendhimself,ortrytomoveoutoftheway.ifharrywasbeingho,hedidn’treallyevenseeit,orifhedid,hedidn’tregisterit,justsawafshoflightandthentheshokwavethatwentthroughhishest,bstinghimbakwardsintothewall.

hehadn’thadtimetopreparehimselffortheimpat,sowhenherumpleddowntothefloor,itwaswitheveryboneinhisbodysreamingouttotryandprotethimself.buthestilldidn’t,justfell,hisarmfoldingawkwardlyunderhhimandhisribsbending,oneofthemsnapping.

“bloodyhell.”ron’sfaeswamabovehim,paleandfrekled,redhairfallingdownoverhisfae.“don’tmove,mate.”

don’tmove,mate.harrywishedheouldblokeverythingout,thewhispersandstares.hedidn’twanttoimaginehowfastthenewsmusthavespread,howthegreatharrypotterhadbeenbestedinaduelbysomerandomaurorintraining,howhemusthavebeenlosinghistouh.butitmusthavespread,beausesoonhermionewastherebesidehim,ginnyrunninghardatherheels,bothofthemshovingthroughtherowdtokneelonthegroundbesidehim.

thereweretimes,really,wherehewasfullystrukbywhatitmeanstohaveafriendlikehermione.this,asshelethimpillowhisheadinherpandranherhandsdownhisbrokenarm,smoothinghishairbakfromhisforeheadandwipingawaybloodhedidn’tevenknowwasthere,wasoneofthem.“don’tyouworryharry.”shewouldhavemadeagoodhealer,hethought,