alt_harry | I have something I want to say to everyone

The next time anyone decides to treat a half-blood student as a lesser witch or wizard I want them to think about the fact that I am also a half-blood.

And if you're not prepared to treat me as a lesser student, if you're not going to send me to the back of a queue or make me give up my seat, then you'd better not try it with anyone else at this school.

Or anywhere else, for that matter.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

alt_hermione

What happened?

From:

alt_sally_anne

We went up early to get seats. Which was good because it was EXTREMELY crowded. Jason Montague and a couple of the other younger Aurors turned up at about the last possible minute and instead of standing in the back like the other losers they they took my seat, and Kat's, and Steve Capper's, and there were some other half-bloods who'd come early, so yeah.

Harry told them he thought students ought to have priority (especially students who'd come early) and when Montague ignored him he ordered Montague and the others to clear off and told me and Kat and the others to come back and sit down.

Anyway I had a good view of the talk.

From:

alt_sally_anne

oh and sorry by 'losers' I don't mean anyone who might be reading this, even if you came late and were standing in the back.

From:

alt_harry

I could do something about it so I did.

From:

alt_hermione

Well, I'm glad you stood up for Sally-Anne, but Harry, is it really wise to remind everyone that you're also a halfblood? Or to--make threats like that? I mean, what if Professor Dolohov gets suspicious?

From:

alt_sirius

Throwing caution to the wind? Good for you.

From:

alt_harry

Hermione doesn't think so.

I don't know. If she and Draco were still at the school, I probably wouldn't have done anything.

But they aren't. So there's nobody telling me not to.

From:

alt_sirius

She's just worried about you, I think.

But it's true that they're not around, which means no one can hurt them to punish you.

Do you think Draco would have told you to stand down?

From:

alt_harry

Not told me, not in so many words.

But he wouldn't have wanted me to make a scene right there in the lecture hall, with Professor Dolohov there, and Mr Lestrange.

You're right. No one can hurt Draco now to punish me. And that matters, too.

He can still hurt other people though.

From:

alt_harry

I don't think I'll get into any trouble I can't handle.

And they can't punish you or Draco anymore to get to me.

From:

alt_sirius

Harry, people are going to get hurt, no matter how hard you try to keep them safe. If you let the fear of that stop you, you'll find yourself letting moments pass you by. Like you said, you saw that you could do something, and you did it. Sounds like you listened to your conscience.

Which might not be a bad thing, kiddo. I know you and Draco have always been as close as brothers. I don't mean to belittle how difficult it must be for you, not having him around to give you advice.

But I think you're capable of giving yourself your own advice. If you follow your own lead for a while, you might be surprised at where it gets you.

From:

alt_harry

It's really weird not having Draco here.

Like when Desai had us all make groups of three, I looked around and everyone I'm friends with had found groups with closer friends. I wound up in a group with Zach Smith and Millicent Bullstrode. (And then I had Megan Jones take my spot, but -- yeah. Zach Smith, and Millicent Bullstrode.)

But Sally-Anne, Pansy and Daphne had gotten into a group. Ron was with Neville and Katrina. Blaise Zabini was with Vince and Greg. There were all these people who probably would have asked me to join their group if they'd thought about it, but none of them did.

From:

alt_sirius

Yeah, I had a feeling you might be having a rough time of it. Draco and Hermione are also somewhat at sea here, but they still have each other. Well, and Sarah and Tim, but that's another matter entirely.

You know, I saw what Daphne Greengrass wrote about how you lot have all become rather cliquish. Of course I didn't want to say anything - none of us likes to feel as if we're imposing ourselves onto your conversations - but it got me to wondering about where you stand with the others.

If you had to choose who to get closer to, who would you pick?

From:

alt_harry

Ron.

Because I'm pretty sure he'll never tell me to be careful.

From:

alt_sirius

Makes sense. You were meant to be in Gryffindor; if you had been, you and Ron would have been roommates for the last six years, already.

I'd wager that if you and he and Justin started spending time together, it would serve all of your goals. Understanding that he also has a girlfriend, but since Justin's alone now, too, it might be good for both of you to lean on each other when Ron and Sally-Anne want to be alone.

From:

alt_antonin

An interesting statement, Mr Marvolo.

Do drop by my office tomorrow afternoon to discuss the matter, hm?

From:

alt_harry

Yes, sir.

From:

alt_harry

Well, Justin's still spending a lot of time with Headmaster Dolohov.

But, Dolohov told me to come to his office tomorrow afternoon, so who knows, maybe I will be, too.

From:

alt_sirius

Maybe you can keep an eye on him, then. I worry about Dolohov's influence on Justin; you can reinforce each other, if you're both in his company. And perhaps if he's got someone else, he won't seek out Dolohov so often.

Not that I'm asking you to be his keeper. I just think you both could use the friendship.

From:

alt_harry

Yeah.

Justin was with Finnigan and Patil, that day. Not because he's mates with them, though.

From:

alt_sirius

Exactly.

You're doing fine, Harry. I'm proud of you.

From:

alt_ron

Well done, you.

I mean it.

Sorry I was tied up when it happened. Though I'm not sure what I could've done to help. I reckon that's the thing--you're able to do things like this that some of the rest of us can't now if we're going to keep our cover. Justin, I mean, and Hydra. And me.

It feels odd. Wrong. Not to be able to do what's right. Though tonight, you'd already done it before I even knew what was happening. But that just shows what Desai does to us. She- kind of eclipses everything else. When she's talking to you. Me. When she's talking to me, I mean.

I worry about that, y'know. What could happen. What I might have to do- what I might just do. For her. To keep her from seeing through me.

Ugh. This is the stuff that makes me miss my dad. Not that he'd have an answer about what I should do. Only, he'd know what it's like to have to do stuff you hate. In order to get in a position where you might be able to do some good. Or- keep somebody else from doing utterly heinous stuff instead.

Y'know?

From:

alt_harry

Yeah.

I had to learn to cast cruciatus, fourth year. Because He was going to make me cruciate Hermione. Only then he just sort of ... forgot, I guess, so I never had to.

But I had to learn. Hydra saw me practising on an animal.

From:

alt_ron

I haven't had to learn the Cardinals yet. Sally Anne learned from Miss Professor Carrow, but I wasn't in Dark Arts then. I thought I'd have to learn this summer, but I didn't. They wait for Auror training. Though I think if you don't know yet, you get made a goat. So I reckon I need to ask Auror Lamont to teach me. Or someone.

Would you?

Before summer.

From:

alt_harry

Yeah.

It's not really that hard. If you can stop yourself thinking about what you're doing.

From:

alt_hydra

Well I'm not sure what to do now since I'm meant to report to my mother if you show any signs of seditious thinking. But since you made your announcement in public in front of everyone, and in the journals, too, then I suppose there's no point in repeating it to her.

From:

alt_daphne

I'm sorry to butt in, only--what about Hydra? People believe that you're dating (well, they either believe that or they believe that Hydra is actually your body guard, or something).

I suppose being on the council might protect her, if she's meant to stand by you and go along with whatever you say?

From:

alt_harry

Daphne pointed out they might threaten you, now. With Draco gone. Since they think we're -- you know.

Do you think I should try to behave the way they want, to keep that from happening?

From:

alt_hydra

The only reason they hurt Draco was because it worked. Because it kept you in line, I mean.

So, even if they do something to me, don't protest or try to stop it. If your father or my mother believe that threatening me will help them control you, then they'll only do it again.