New attack by the Slytherin monster

Unfortunately, his apprehensions proved to be far below reality.

Not only did more and more students accuse him of being the heir, but many decided it was time to imitate the Weasley twins. Quickly, he couldn't walk alone in the corridor without being hit by a leg-locker curse, pushed, or subjected to other bad jokes. No doubt out of a spirit of contradiction or nonconformity, the Weasley twins, for their part, completely stopped targeting him. Or maybe they understood that it wasn't his fault if their sister seemed to be getting worse and worse.

Apparently, she must have been close to Colin, because since his disappearance, she had withdrawn into herself to the point of forgetting to argue with Jenny (much to the delight of Lucas, who was tired of having to separate them).

Fortunately, the Hufflepuffs had not usurped their reputation for loyalty and without consulting him, they organized so that he was never alone. Moreover, at Cedric's initiative, the prefects of all the houses searched for the culprits and gave severe punishments to those they caught. Harry showed nothing, but their support warmed his heart. Thanks to them, he hardly suffered from the situation and became more attached than ever to his house. And not just to the latter. Despite the context, he was becoming more and more attached to the castle and the magical world. Against his will, he acknowledged that now he could no longer live like a Muggle. And even less hide his powers permanently, as he had become accustomed to doing at 4 Privet Drive.

He knew that the Dursleys couldn't bear him using magic daily in their presence. Out of consideration for him, they probably wouldn't say anything, but they couldn't completely hide their disgust. And if there was one thing Harry didn't want to see in their eyes, it was disgust. But at the same time, he couldn't abandon them (as he had done that summer). Most of the time, he pushed his thoughts away, but during the boring history of magic classes, his mind regularly wandered in that direction andplunged him into an abyss of perplexity.

Harry therefore moved in a slight gloom until one morning, he saw a group of students gathered around the notice board. A piece of parchment had just been pinned there. He approached and saw that a dueling club was going to be opened. This news excited most of his classmates who decided to sign up and talked about nothing else at breakfast. However, the announcement left Harry completely indifferent. He hated fighting and didn't really see the point of learning.

Hey, hi Harry. Said Lucas, arriving alone for lunch. He always got up well before Jenny, but usually, he waited for her to go eat.

Hi Lucas,

Did you see, they're going to open a dueling club. Should we sign up? asked Lucas.

Uh, no thank you. Replied Harry.

What, but why? Given what's happening right now, it would be super useful. And then everyone is going to sign up.

I know that Slytherins have a stick up their butt, but I don't think their monster is the type to follow etiquette and fight by the rules.

Come on, it will be fun.

Yeah. But no. Since my father forced me to try boxing, I promised myself never to do combat sports again. But ask Jenny. I'm sure she would be up for it.

If I go there with her, people will still say we're dating. It's annoying. Is it so hard to believe that a guy and a girl can just be friends?

Yes.

Harry, you could at least pretend to support me. You know, these are things friends do.

But it's your fault too. You shouldn't have given me such a huge opportunity. More seriously, it's not just because you're a guy and a girl. It's mainly because you are so, so (...) close. Honestly, you are weird.

Nonsense. It's normal for us to be close, we've known each other since kindergarten. I'm sure there are other people who have friends they are just as close with.

Dude, we've known each other for 3 months and this is the first time we're talking face-to-face because usually, you two are glued to each other all the time.

He blushed and exclaimed:

Nonsense.

Yes.

No.

Yes.

No

No matter, let's change the subject. Harry yielded. How come you didn't wait for Jenny to come eat today?

But I waited for her! I had to hang around for half an hour in the hall. Usually, when she has trouble getting up, she asks a girl from her dorm to come and warn me, and I go and drag her out of bed by the scruff of her neck, but then (...) Lucas stopped talking when he saw Harry smiling with a satisfied look and realized he had fallen into a trap.

Okay, fine, maybe we're a bit closer than most friends. But I don't see why everyone makes such a big deal out of it.

I'm not saying otherwise. It's strange, but a friendship like that is beautiful.

Stop messing with me.

No, I am serious.

Oh uh. Thanks. Lucas stammered awkwardly.

Embarrassed, they finished their breakfast in silence. But Harry and Lucas became more and more nervous as time went by and Jenny still hadn't arrived. It wasn't like her to miss a meal.

With a simple exchange of glances, they agreed to go look for her. They went to the Slytherin table to ask the girls from her dormitory if anyone had seen her. They replied that she wasn't in her bed this morning and that they didn't know anything, but Harry had the impression they were lying. Lucas apparently noticed this and decided to press a girl she got along with quite well. However, a second-year blond who vaguely reminded Harry of someone interrupted them.

Said the Gryffindor. Your table is on the other side.

I am looking for my friend Jenny. She is in Slytherin. You haven't seen her by any chance?

No. Now go away. He replied, annoyed, while two students resembling gorillas, who were next to him, flexed their muscles.

And very gently. What's gotten into you? We're just looking for our friend. With all these watch stories, we're worried about not seeing her arrive. Declared Lucas to calm things down with all the experience he had gained from de-escalating the Ginny/Jenny duels.

Harry, for his part, if it weren't for loyalty to Lucas, would have bolted in the other direction. Had he already mentioned that fighting wasn't his thing?

If you really cared about her, the mudblood, you would leave her alone. Her blood is already sullied enough. Now go away and don't meddle in Slytherin affairs anymore.

Harry now remembered who it was and immediately felt guilty. It was a Death Eater's son and, above all, he was the idiot who had said that blood traitors would be the next to be attacked on Halloween. Caught up in his own problems, he hadn't paid attention, but his friend was apparently in trouble with the other members of his house. And with the most dangerous ones at that.

Like the Gryffindor he was, Lucas was about to respond violently, but he was quickly surrounded by other second-year Slytherins with icy stares. He decided to keep quiet and retreat.

Malfoy then displayed a satisfied smile. He and his gang stood up and passed by, jostling Harry and Lucas. But one of them discreetly whispered to them as they passed:

She is in the girls' restroom on the second floor.

The ones that are haunted and where no one goes? But what would she be doing there? asked Harry.

But the boy disappeared without saying more.

He comes back. Called out to Harry.

No, leave it.

Do you know him? Who is that guy? Asked Harry.

It's Theodore Nott. His cousin.

Oh! Do you think we can trust him?

No, but we don't have any other leads. Said Lucas, beginning to head quickly towards the restroom.

Wait. Shouted Harry

What? Do you have a better idea? Hurry up. Jenny might be in danger.

Yes, I have an idea. Before rushing to a secluded corner of the castle where an angry group of Death Eater offspring and maybe the heir himself might be waiting for us, we should ask my Hufflepuff friends and your Gryffindor friends to accompany us.

oOoOoOo

This is how about ten first-year boys and Luna Lovegood from Ravenclaw (nobody had asked her to come, but she had followed them and nobody had complained) headed to the girls' bathroom on the second floor. Once in front of the door, Harry was seized with fright at the thought of the vast unknown awaiting him inside. Unfortunately for his survival instinct, nothing could scare him more than losing a loved one.

He grimaced and violently opened the door. He then saw his friend standing on a toilet cabinet with both hands tied to a pipe. She seemed terrified and huge dark circles indicated that she was also exhausted. Without further caution, Harry and Lucas rushed towards her, but she screamed.

No, move away, it's dangerous.

But it was too late. A huge snake appeared before their eyes. Lucas stepped back and cast a spell on the snake, but it didn't seem to affect it.

Harry steps back! Where did that snake come from?

But Harry, for a reason he did not understand, felt no fear. He did not know how, but he knew the snake would not harm him. He stayed in place and asked:

— What are you doing here?

— Do you speak?

Harry, surprised that the snake replies to him, said:

— Of course I speak. I am a human. It's you speaking that is surprising.

This response seemed to annoy the snake, which continued earlier.

— What do you want, human?

— I want you to leave my friend alone and leave the castle.

— The one who summoned me left me here, hungry, with your friend as my only food, but I have no venom and she does not let herself be suffocated.

— I fear that she is very stubborn on this subject. Around the castle, there is a forest with plenty of prey much more (...)

— Feed me and I will go away.

Guys, does anyone want to feed the snake? Harry turned around and saw everyone else looking at him with a horrified expression (except for Luna Lovegood, who was looking at the ceiling and smiling).

Hey guys. What's going on? asked Harry

They all approached (except for Lucas) and took out their wands to point them at him.

Don't move, you bastard. Peter went to warn Chourave.

Harry looked at them with a half-dazed, half-horrified expression.

No, but calm down guys. It's Harry. Declared Lucas.

Are you in on it with him? Did he promise you that if you helped him lure us into this trap, he would spare your life and your girlfriend's?

We are not together. Lucas and Jenny shouted in unison.

The snake meanwhile turned away from them and moved closer to Jenny, who screamed and pushed it away by waving her foot.

— Leave her there and disappear or I'll kill you myself.Bluff, Harry.

The serpent, unaware that none of the first-year wizards facing him knew magic powerful enough to defeat him, decided to head towards the game-rich forest that the arrogant two-legs had mentioned to him. But seeing this gigantic serpent apparently immune to the most basic spells heading in their direction, the students became frightened and began casting spells at Harry.

Harry narrowly dodged thanks to reflexes acquired during years of playing football. Fortunately for him, most of his opponents were not skilled enough with magic to aim correctly, even at such a short distance. But unfortunately for Jenny, who was still tied to the pipes, he aimed so poorly that she was grazed by an unknown orange spell that set the toilet partition where she was tied on fire.

Friends, next time, leave me with the snake. She declared.