Episode 4.Part 2

Episode 4. Part 2

***

- Well, what are you waiting for? Get on the broom and hold it tightly with your legs..." No sooner had the resolute Madam Trick finished her sentence than one of the brooms, like an unbridled horse, took off and carried the unhappy and very frightened Neville Longbottom. But he didn't fly far: he hovered in the air, and without a broom, and then smoothly, but too slowly began to descend. It took the students and the coach a long time to realize what had happened. Only when someone looked back and shrieked did they realize that the boy was being held in the air by magic... by Harold Potter, who, standing with his eyes closed, threw his arms in the direction of the hovering Neville and slowly lowered them. The force holding the boy also obeyed this gesture.

- Harry, how do you do that? And without a wand?! - The children wondered excitedly and with a gasp. But Harry didn't know the answer to that question. He just didn't want his classmate to get hurt, and it was working just like it always did: magic had been easy to obey ever since his aunt's death.

- Shut up, assholes! Otherwise he's going to drop it..." Harry heard his cousin's voice somewhere on the edge of his consciousness. Strangely enough, Dudley's words worked, and the boys fell silent, all except...:

- Let him drop, and we'll dare... - However, a new wave of his hand towards the blond Slytherin with whom the cousins had developed a friendly relationship - and he was unable to make another sound. And the hope of the wizarding world was able to calmly lower Longbottom to the earth. Madam Hook immediately rushed over to him, examining him for injuries, and the other children, asking about the experience. But Neville was too excited to answer coherently. So the coach decided to take him to the infirmary for a sedative. But before she left, she turned to Potter:

- How did you do it, boy? - she asked. But Harold didn't answer. But his cousin, seeing the shadow of annoyance and even rage at himself on his familiar face, did not hesitate to decide to help his brother out:

- He doesn't know or won't answer, Madame Trick. But since he was a child, he has sometimes done something like this, controlling himself or his surroundings...

***

- Mr. Potter, I award you twenty points for saving a classmate! And I want to say that I'm proud of what you did as a true Gryffindor. I suppose your parents would be just as proud of you..." Minerva McGonagle was indeed proud of her student's deed, yet still living up to her expectations. That's why she didn't notice that Harry wasn't proud at all..." Madam Trick praised your broomstick flying skills, noting that not only are you already excellent in the air, but you could play Quidditch as well. In that regard, I would like to offer you a position as a catcher on the Gryffindor team," she solemnly suggested.

Harold was surprised by the suggestion, but after thinking it over carefully, he replied

- I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I have no interest in sports. I think personal time can be spent in a more dignified way. Besides, I don't think you should break the school rules for me, which clearly state that freshmen aren't allowed in Quidditch competitions. We're not even allowed to take brooms to school," the sly boy shrugged, sparkling with his sly green eyes. - I don't think it would add to the good opinion of you or me if I suddenly became your favorite, at the expense of being allowed to play. - The elderly stern witch pondered for a long time before answering such a reasonable and unexpected refusal for her:

- I am, of course, upset by such an answer. But still, I think it is worthy. But let me ask you again: are you sure, Mr. Potter?

- Yes," the boy answered confidently, looking the dean in the eye, "though it is very discouraging to me that of the activities at Hogwarts there is only quidditch. - He and Dudley had only noticed a few days ago that the new lifestyle had caused them to lose some of their dexterity and arm strength, and wanted to make up for lost time. - My cousin and I are used to a fairly active lifestyle. Hogwarts rules don't seem to prohibit us from exercising on our own. But still, I'd like to ask you: is it okay to run around the lake and spar before breakfast?

- Of course, Mr. Potter! - Minerva answered without hesitation, believing that such initiative should be encouraged. - Just try not to make any noise in the common room. Your fellow students like to sleep in the morning. And yes, since you refused to play for the faculty team, I expect you to do well on the exam! - She secretly hoped that after watching this year's Quidditch competition, Harry would want to try out for the team next year...

- Of course, ma'am..." Harold smiled. He'd just gotten permission for him and his cousin to do extracurricular activities, without specifying what kind of sparring was meant...- Malfoy! He stole my reminder! - Neville complained hysterically one day. Draco was constantly bullying the poor boy, who was already intimidated by Professor Snape and crushed by the authority of his grandmother, who sent his grandson letters twice a day.

- So we'll steal it back," Dudley promised earnestly, and within an hour Longbottom was thanking his cousins who had returned his grandmother's gift. The brothers were silent about the fact that not on purpose, but rather out of habit, they had also stolen a couple of other useful things..

*

- Dud, what do they write? - Not too interested, but rather out of boredom, Harry asked at breakf

- The theft at Gringotts," his cousin shrugged, and lowered his voice to a barely audible whisper. I see a forbidden corridor on the third floor, a professor of protection against the dark forces, a big mirror, a big gem, you and lots of fire..." Dudley shuddered, because ever since that very fire in which his parents died, he had been very much afraid of flames. And fire appeared very often in his visions, and always with his cousin. The boy had thoughts about it, but he was afraid of them, too..

Harold, who was used to trusting his cousin's visions, became vividly interested in the listed objects and, after some time of deliberation, also said very quietl

- We must find out what is happening before we are pushed into the aby

- Not us, cousin. You alone," Dudley grinned, putting the paper aside and noticing the flicker of a smile on Dumbledore's lips. He seemed interested in his cousins reading the paper..

*

- Ghosts, paintings whose characters can move freely across canvases... Harry, don't you think this is all a great spy network? - Dudley whispered wistfully as he climbed one of the stairs to his faculty tower. - Perhaps that's how the professors and Mr. Filch would find out about the irregularities. It's not a pleasant feelin

- So we need to find a way to protect ourselves from prying ears," Harold nodded to himself, squinting at his cousin. The latter was very uncomfortable in a castle with so many secrets that the seer, sometimes literally, saw right through. - We could look for information in the library, and work out the necessary spells before breakfast. In fact, it's worth searching for useful spells..

- Is that allowed? - Dursle asked doubtfully

- I doubt it," grinned Survivor Boy. - But McGee signed our sparring permits..

***- I'd advise you to rewrite the essay," Hermione Granger suddenly advised in a stern voice. She had already been sitting next to Dudley for half an hour, shamelessly reading his work. She didn't care at all that her brothers had taken a table in the Gryffindor common room, designed for two, and that she was invading her personal space. The boys were silent, but that didn't mean that they could put up with a pushy roommate forever. - There's no..." Harold flinched, clearly wanting to say something rude to the girl. But only Dudley kicked him under the table, decisively but gently interrupting his fellow studen

- Hermione, we really appreciate you trying to help. But if you help us all the time-we won't learn anything but to rely on you

- You mean we're going to be pulling the strings out of you," Harry grinned mockingly, catching his brother's thought

- Exactly! - The latter confirmed. Hermione was very confused by the sudden pressure and the thought they were trying to convey to her

- But..

- We want to understand and learn for ourselves," Dudley continued, pulling away from the essay. - If we can't do it ourselves, or don't want to learn at all, we're just not worthy of your help. Do you understand? - Hermione listened carefully and considered her words. - I'm sorry, of course, but you're already famous for being a nerd, because you pry when you're not asked and speak when you should be silent. You won't get respect from your peers with good grades. And you won't make any friends that way

- I'm in your way," Granger drew her conclusion from what was said. She understood that her cousins didn't need her help at all, because they were just as good as her, and in some subjects even better than her. She was just secretly hoping to make friends with boys who cared about their grades like her other classmates and classmates, but she didn't know how to start a conversation, so she started it out of habit... So, of course, helping her study had nothing to do with it, not what the boys had in mind..

Dudley wanted to assure her that it wasn't, purely out of politeness. Though, of course, he didn't mean what the fellow student thought. Now, however, his brother kicked him under the table himself, before responding ruthlessl

- Yes. Sorry, Hermione," Harold really didn't like pushy ones, considering them suspicious and untrustworthy

- I'm sorry..." hurt tears flashed in Granger's eyes, and only the brothers could see her: vaporized as if she hadn't even existed

***- Why do you ignore all attempts to talk to you? - Neville asked quietly a couple of hours later, sitting with his back to the brothers in a nearby chair. - No matter what they offer you, no matter what they try to bring up, no matter what they ask you to do, it's as if no one exists for you. And with the guys from other faculties you communicate calmly. Why is that? - The cousins glanced at each other, but remained silent. Longbottom had not yet said a word that might interest them to communicate. To their shame the boys really thought their classmates were shallow and too... spoiled. Of all of them, they were only interested in Hermione, but they weren't happy with the way she was used to being. So they didn't socialize with their classmates, while some of the Slytherins, Puffundoons, and Claws managed to invite them to their homes for Christmas break. And not just classmates. The brothers, especially Dudley, were not conflicted people, and were interested in talking to everyone... who was interesting to them. There were none of them on Gryffindor until now. - Do they annoy you? - suddenly, very quietly, so that only the cousins could hear, Longbottom asked. The brothers looked at each other again, and it was as if Neville saw or felt it, sighed: - Me, too. I'm not used to it. I'm embarrassed. I don't know anything about soccer or Quidditch or handbags. I don't want to play spitball or chess. And I'm not very good at school, but.

- We're writing a transfiguration essay," Harry interrupted him. - If you want to join in, join in. - He heard what he wanted to hea

When Neville sat down at the twin table with his brothers, there was a piercing silence in the Gryffindor common room. The Weasley twins were rubbing their hands together excitedly: They had won a very respectable sum of money for a schoolboy, because the odds had long been stacked in the house on who would be the first to win the attention of Boy Who Survived. No one bet on Longbottom but them.

***- The stairs have turned," Dudley sighed, glancing warily down the dark, unlit hallway. - This way leads to the third floor, to the forbidden corrido

- Turned, or was she turned? - The hero of the magical world tilted his head to his shoulde

- Harry, stop suspecting everyone! - hysterically and even frightened, as if his cousin had read his mind, yelled at his brother, Dudley. He sighed, sliding down the wall to the floor at the entrance to the third floor, about to wait for the stairs to turn in the other directio

- Hasn't life accustomed you to the fact that there are no accidents in it yet, Dud? I'm not going there. At least not when it's expected of me," he added, a little quieter. Dursle looked at his brother and landed beside him. They had been sitting like that for hours and were beginning to doze off when a voice called out through their slumbe

- Well, well, what are you doing here?! - The brothers woke up, and immediately recognized the owner of the voic

- Hello, Mr. Filch. The stairs turned as we walked into Gryffindor Tower. But beyond that is the forbidden corridor. So we're waiting for the stairs to turn again," Dudley explained. The old man was surprised by such unusual children again, and perhaps somewhere deep inside him a flame of trust awoke in his cousins and their words of reluctance to break the rules. After pondering for a few minutes, he made up his min

- Come. I'll show you a short way past these squatter staircases," he grunted. - I've been telling Dumbledore for years that they were a nuisance, but who'd listen to a sick old man..." Filch's famous cat, Mrs. Noriss, purred loudly at her cousins' feet until one of them took her in his arms, lightly stroking her back. Mr. Filch, trusting his pet's instincts, thought about the fact that at least someone at school could be trusted without fear of taunting him in the back.

***- TROLL IN THE DUNGEON! A troll in the dungeon! Don't you know?! - Quirinus Quirell, Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, after frightening the students and disrupting the Halloween festivities, safely collapsed. Dumbledore averted the panic, and the professors and headmasters began to scatter the children around the common living rooms and try to make sense of the incident. Harry and Dudley looked at each other as they broke away from the crow

They were looking for three suspects: Quirrell, who had mysteriously disappeared from the great hall, Snape, who had left after him, and Troll. Unfortunately, the boys found the latter first. The fight threatened to go from unequal to lethal in an instant. But looking at his terrified cousin, Harold sighed as usual, blocking his brother with himself, and concentrating on a single wish. There was no way to escape while the troll was alive. So there was only one option left.

The troll had a few seconds to live while his heart obediently stopped.

*

- Albus, is he dead? - Clutching her heart, Minerva aske

- Yes, Minerva," Dumbledore nodded graciously, his blue eyes sparkling slyly behind his half-glasses. - But it is not clear what he died of, and...- And how did he get to Hogwarts? And how did he get to this place? And why did he die here? - Professor Snape asked sarcastically, rolling his eyes. - Headmaster, don't you think you're asking strange questions? Of course someone let the troll in. Who did? You know best. Why? Obviously to divert our attention from something. From what? Obviously. Why is he dead? Someone obviously killed him. Who, how, and why? Headmaster.

- Severus, you should dress the wound," Albus coldly and irritably reassured his subordinate, "Quirinus will reveal himself yet.

*

- Dud, help me with the potions," Harold whined as loudly and boringly as only he could to the entire great hall. Since waking up, all he had done was beg his brother to help him, because he suddenly realized that he was falling behind the program. - I don't understand.

- Harry, it's elementary! Sort it out yourself," exclaimed Dudley, for once stubborn and denied the pleading green eyes. He felt uncomfortable, under all the reproachful looks that were directed at him over the loud whining of his very conniving cousin. At some point Harold decided that since his pleading face this time - also for the first time - hadn't worked on his brother, it was worth getting the public involved. The public responded eagerly to the treachery of the true villain and manipulator hiding behind the face of the handsome national hero who had defeated the Dark Lord. The female half of the public was especially fierce, giving the unfortunate Dudley openly hostile looks or joining in their hero's pleas.When Dudley started pleading with almost half the school, including several professors, he realized that he had lost, and that his brother was a much more dangerous man than he thought.

*

- I helped you with the potions. Now you help me with the transfiguration! - Didn't ask, demanded Dudley. But Harry, unlike his cousin, willingly agreed to help, so there was no new show, much to the dismay of some of the ginger twin

Harold was intuitively very good at all subjects except potions, and therefore was already famous for being almost the best student of the first year. Some professors even gave him extra assignments in classes so that he was not bored, and gave him assignments beyond the program. However, Potter liked it. He liked studyin

Dudley could not boast such success. The only things he was good at were potions and spells. So often he sought his cousin's help and was grateful to him that Harry always explained instead of giving a ready answer. It allowed him to be one of the top ten in the course, too, and thus fit in with an outstanding brother.