nawayandstandsstraight,triestomakehimselflookwhathebelievedamalfoyshouldbe,beausethis,atleast,issomethingheknows.“wathme.”

harry

evenbakathogwarts,thereweretimeswhenharryhadtoadmitthatdraowassmart.hewasverygoodatmagi,espeiallytransfiguration,andevenasmuhashedespisedsnapeandthefavoritismheshoweddrao,evenharryouldseethatthepraisewasn’talwaysunjustified.

“isheatuallyright?”heasks,wathingasdraotalkedinmutteredvoieswithgeeandhermione,goingovernotesandexpiningsteps,thesmokefromtheauldronfillingupthekithen.ronhadlefttoreportbaktotheaurordepartmentaboutharry’sondition,butotherthanthat,nooneseemedveryonernedaboutthem’sianymore.thiswaslearlysomethingimportant,somethingexiting,andgeeandhermioneanddraowereaughtupintherazeofaademiahievementthatharryhadalwaysassoiatedwithhermioneandherstudyinghabits.

“idon’tknow.”lunawasslumpedoverthetable,wathingitallwithmightbeibutouldeasilyjustherstaringoffintospae.“ineverwasmuhgoodatpotions.”

“yeah,well.”harrydoesn’tliketothinkaboutpotions.itopensupatrainofthoughthewouldratherstayawayfrom.“meeither.”

butlearlydraowas.harrylikedtowathhimdothis,beauseitwasoneoftheraretimesthathelookedliketheboyhewasbeforethewar,theonewhothoughtthegroundthathewalkedonwasmadefromgold.andeventhoughharryhadn’tlikedthatdraonearlyasmuhasthiswas,therewasaertainluretohim,aharm,aonfidene(awholeness,aninnoene,anarrogane)thatwasnietoseeshiningthrough.