Chapter Text
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve and chivalry,
Set Gryffindors apart.
“Harry? Harry who? You’ll have to give me a bit more to go on. Every mother’s son’s called ‘Harry’ these days.”
Harry sighed at the man behind the counter. Maybe he was being over-dramatic, but this was a conversation he’d had countless times before. “Styles,” he said tersely. “Harry Styles. I’m here to collect my new broom. The Comet 320? I reserved it last week.”
The man looked at him for a long moment before he flicked his wrist, summoning a long scroll of parchment to the counter. “Right,” he said, examining the long list of ornately written names. Harry stared at the man’s bald patch as he bent over the parchment. “Ah, yes. Master Styles, Comet 320, yes, yes. That will be a hundred and ninety five galleons, please.”
After handing over the money Harry left the shop, stepping out onto the crowded path of Diagon Alley and clutching his new broom tightly to his chest. He stopped short on the cobbled street to let a babble of small children pass, all of whom were nattering animatedly about buying their first wands. Harry smiled at their excited voices as he headed back to the pub. He certainly wasn’t a hysterical first year any more but he couldn’t ignore the anticipation building inside him when he thought about the new school term starting.
He was about to enter his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Four years ago he’d been impatiently awaiting his letter from Headmistress Turnstone with ill grace. He hadn’t been nervous about its arrival, it was clear to everyone around him that he had an abundance of magical ability, but he had so desperately wanted to start at Hogwarts. Georgina, his sister, had taunted him with stories about the castle, the lessons and the grounds for the previous two years and he was simply running out of patience.
His mother understood. She’d grown up in a magical household, had attended Hogwarts herself and so had done her best to cater for Harry’s excitement. His father however had ultimately been baffled by the entire thing, much as he had been with Georgie. In an attempt to distract Harry from The Long Wait, his dad had taken him on a fishing trip. He was quite used to his dad’s quaint Muggle ways by this point, however all the trip had managed to achieve was a slight souring of Harry’s opinion of fishing for a good number of years and the loss of one of his dad’s favourite fishing rods.
Nevertheless, The Long Wait finally came to an end and Harry arrived at Hogwarts, grin permanently plastered on his face, bouncing around between different groups of first years, determined to make as many friends as possible. He’d been overjoyed when he was placed in Gryffindor, the house his mother and sister had been in. He’d jumped head first into his classes and had quickly made a firm friend in fellow Gryffindor Niall Horan. Together they’d recruited Liam Payne and Zayn Malik into their group, and the four of them had been inseparable ever since.
Harry smiled to himself as he stepped into The Leaky Cauldron. He couldn’t quite believe he’d been best mates with those guys for four years, so much had happened in that time.
“Harry.” He heard his name yelled across the busy pub. A few heads turned towards him in a rush, only to be disappointed when it became apparent he wasn’t the famous Harry. Contrary to what everyone seemed to think, he hadn’t been named after Harry Potter, it was simply a name that his dad had loved. That hadn’t been much comfort to Harry though, who’d been teased throughout his life for it.
“Harry,” the voice repeated. After a few seconds examining the crowd, Harry spotted Zayn waving at him from the corner. “Over here, mate.”
He grinned and weaved his way over.
“Zayn, buddy, how are you?” he said. He nodded to Zayn’s mother and little sister, Deema, who were sitting at the small table as well. “Hello. Nice to see you again.”
“Hello Harry,” Mrs Malik replied. She gathered her things. “Come on, Dee. Let’s leave the boys to it, we still have to get your wand.” She turned to Zayn, “We’ll see you back here in an hour, okay?”
“Yep. See you, mum,” Zayn waved them off. “So, how’s things? Did you hear Liam’s big news?” he smirked at Harry.
Harry had heard Liam’s ‘big news’. Their friend had texted him last week in a mad panic about it.
'HARRY!!! SEND HELP! THEYVE MADE ME PREFECT!! I cant be prefect. I don’t even no what the school moto is- something about dragons?? Do it for me.’
Harry had laughed to himself for a full five minutes when he’d read the message, before replying. He’d explained that, as much as he’d like to help, he couldn’t be prefect for Liam as he wasn’t a Hufflepuff.
It was just like Liam to panic over the responsibility of being made prefect, though. Liam was one of the most earnest people Harry had ever met. When Niall had introduced him to Harry in first year, the Hufflepuff boy had been so nice, so genuine that Harry decided it would be physically impossible not to like him.
Unlike Harry, who was a half-blood, Liam and Zayn were both Muggle-borns. Liam’s older sister Rachael was going into her final year and had been sorted into Ravenclaw, the same house as Zayn. It was clear from the start that Liam was upset he hadn’t been put in Ravenclaw too, but he never made a fuss. Liam had always been incredibly grateful for his position at Hogwarts, possibly more so than any other Muggle-born there. Liam’s other sister, Natalie, hadn’t received a letter on her eleventh birthday, it turned she wasn’t magical enough. So when Liam had been offered a place at the school, he understood the value of it. Harry always admired him for that.
“Yeah, he mentioned it,” Harry replied to Zayn. “Niall said that Ed and Jesy got it for Gryffindor. Who made it in yours, do you know?” he asked, waving to the barman for a Butterbeer.
Zayn leant back in his chair, “I saw Jade in Florish and Blotts. She said it went to Leigh-Anne and Rollo.”
“Rollo Fowler? Figures.” Harry gave Zayn a discerning look, “You’re not bothered then, that it wasn’t you?”
Zayn scoffed, “Not bloody likely.” He smiled. “Nah, just means I’ll have more time to concentrate on my work. It’s gonna be tougher this year, what with the O.W.L.s and all. Besides, it’s a bit of a drag, isn’t it?”
Harry laughed, “You know, you’re the only person in the year cool enough to handle being such a nerd.”
Zayn smirked and raised his eyebrows at the barman who’d just delivered Harry’s drink.
It was true, though, Harry thought as he took a sip. Zayn deserved to be in Ravenclaw, there was no doubt about it. He was incredibly clever and he worked hard for it, but he also managed to maintain an alarming level of quintessential coolness about him. He could be ditching you for a library session one minute and the next be reprimanding you for not being up for a spot of ‘who can get the closest to the Whomping Willow’.
“Yeah well, it comes naturally to some of us,” Zayn said. He pointed to Harry’s new broom, all wrapped up in brown paper. “Flashing your money about, then?”
Harry coughed, “Maybe. Mum gave me a little towards it, ‘cause I did so well in my exams. It’s only a Comet but I reckon it’ll do better than that God awful Cleansweep I was on last year.”
Zayn hummed. He wasn’t as bothered with Quidditch as the rest of the wizarding world seemed to be, but he’d had to start to feign interest last year when Harry got recruited as Beater for the Gryffindor house team.
Harry leant forward, “Poll Soller got captain this year, she sent me a letter.” He bit his lip before asking, lightly, “I don’t suppose you know who the new Ravenclaw captain is, now Hawkley’s left?”
Zayn’s mouth split into a wide grin, “You’ll have to wake up earlier than that, Styles, to get past me.” Harry groaned. “I may not be the epitome of house pride but even I know it’s more than my life’s worth to go betraying Quidditch secrets to the other side.” His eyes twinkled with laughter.
“Fine, whatever.” Harry nudged Zayn’s foot with his own, “I’ll finish this and we can head over to the Weasleys’, yeah? My reusable hangman has died it’s last death.”
~
“Come on, Danny. We’ve only got five minutes left,” Harry’s mum snapped at his dad.
Harry and Georgie shared a look. His mum, dad and sister had all come to see him off at platform nine and three quarters, Georgie even though she had graduated last year. In an unwelcomed change to the norm, they were running late.
“Alright, Harry,” his mum said, breathlessly. “You and Georgie go on, I’ll bring your father through with me.”
It was at that point Daniel Styles let out an indignant ‘humph’. “I do not need to be brought anywhere, Alice. Every year you do this, just because I don’t wave a wand about, you think …”
Harry rolled his eyes. “Here we go,” he murmured. He turned to his parents, voice loud, “We’ll see you on the other side, then.” He took Georgie’s arm and they both ran head first into the brick wall that hid the entrance to the platform.
Immediately the smell of steam and parchment and magic filled his nostrils. He could barely contain his desire just to jump onto the train straight away. He waited through. He let his dad help load his suitcase and his tawny owl, Edmund’s, cage. He let his mum attempt to flatten his hair and straighten his jacket. He let his sister mess his hair up again and give him a short hug. And then he climbed on board.
As the Hogwarts Express pulled away from the station, he leant his entire upper body out of the window and waved to his family, who were getting smaller and smaller on the platform. After they’d vanished entirely he clambered awkwardly down the train, having to flatten himself against the wall on several occasions to let others pass him. Eventually he found the carriage he was looking for.
As several of his friends had been made prefects that year, they would be riding up front in the prefects’ carriage. There was still a group of them, though, that had found a compartment together.
“Harry!”
Harry beamed as he slid open the compartment door and was immediately embraced by Niall, all energy and smiles and delight. Harry laughed, “Alright, man?” squeezing the other boy tightly for several long seconds. Niall muttered something into Harry’s neck, but Harry couldn’t understand it at all.
Looking over Niall’s shoulder he saw that several other Gryffindors, Jesy Nelson and twins Castor and Pollox Soller, were filling the seats. Zayn was also there, squashed next to the window, and Jesy’s Hufflepuff friend Jade smiled politely over to him when he sat down into one of only two remaining seats next to her.
“Hey, gang,” he joked. They all mumbled vaguely in return, looking tired.
Niall dropped into the spot next to Harry. “You, mate, are never, never ever, going to guess what happened to me over the summer,” he said, eyes wide.
“Aren’t I?” Harry asked, pointlessly.
“Never ever.” And Niall was off, talking so fast that Harry almost lost track straight away.
Niall was a pure-blood and his family had been in Gryffindor house for generations. He’d never really had much contact with Muggles, or even Muggle-borns, as he was growing up. Harry always cited that as a reason why, when he spoke, Niall often glossed over things that would make the average person gasp, while exclaiming at perfectly ordinary occurrences. One fine example of this was in the summer after second year, when Harry went to stay with Niall’s family for a week, Niall had spent several hours waxing poetic about a dishwasher he’d come across the day before. It was all part of his undeniable charm, really.
“… and then she just got on the plane! Like, she just walked onto it and it flew! It actually flew away, can you believe that?” Niall stared at him, impressed smile lighting up his face.
Harry grinned, “Just about.” Zayn sniggered from the corner and Harry settled down further in his seat.
The majority of the journey unfolded in a gentle, lazy manner. The food trolley came and went, and soon it was time for them all to change into their school robes. There was a flash of red, yellow and blue while everyone pulled their robes out of their trunks.
The girls, Jesy, Jade and Poll, yelled loudly when the boys began to change. “Turn around!” Jesy demanded. “Close your eyes and turn around. We’ll tell you when it’s safe.”
Niall sighed a deep sigh. “One day,” he muttered, turning and glaring at the compartment door.
Not long after that Harry went to stretch his legs. He wondered aimlessly down the train, eyes travelling over the inhabitants of the compartments he passed. The late evening sun beat down on him through the windows and he smiled as he saw Liam striding down the corridor towards him, Hufflepuff robes in impeccable form, looking flustered.
“Perfect prefect Payne!”
Liam’s face relaxed into a welcoming smile. “Harry! Hello mate, how are you?”
“All the better for seeing your face.” He nodded over Liam’s shoulder, “How is it, then? Remember, with great power comes great –”
“– Responsibility. Yes, don’t remind me. I’ve already had to confiscate an Electric Shock Shake from a second year. She was going to use it on Timmy McCredie.”
Harry frowned. Timmy was a tiny second year Gryffindor who tended to attract a certain amount of bullying.
“Oh, Christ,” Liam groaned as a crashing noise erupted behind where Harry stood. “Now it’s something else. I’ll see you at the feast, alright man?” Liam rushed out, speeding away.
Harry laughed at his retreating form and moved further down the train. He nodded and smiled, pausing occasionally at people he knew before being flagged down into a compartment by Glendon Horan, Niall’s older brother. Glendon was in seventh year and, although a fellow Gryffindor, was the antithesis of Niall himself. Sharp as a tack and somewhat aloof, Harry often wondered at the idea that he and Niall were related. He was still kind though, it seemed it was impossible for a Horan to be anything other.
“Styles,” Glendon greeted him. “Is Niall in with you? Can you give him this? Mum must’ve packed it in my trunk by mistake.”
He looked down at the green and yellow Kenmare Kestrels throw Glendon held in his outstretched arms. “Oh, yeah,” he started, putting his phone aside and taking the blanket. He always found it hard, going cold turkey on technology when he returned to Hogwarts, constantly fiddling with his iPod and phone for weeks after they stopped working. “Would’ve been tears at bedtime if he couldn’t find this,” Harry joked.
By now the sun had set and Harry made his way back to his compartment.
“The wonderer returns,” said Niall, watching Harry step through the doorway.
Zayn pointed out of the window, “Just in time, too.”
Harry squinted and spotted the dark outline of Hogwarts castle in the distance. “Cool,” he said. “Saw your brother near the front. This is yours.” He held out the blanket and Niall grabbed it.
“Oh, cheers.”
When the train pulled into Hogsmeade Station they all gathered their things together. Harry was about to step off the train behind Niall and Zayn when he stuck his hand in his pocket and noticed his phone was missing. He’d left it in Glendon’s compartment.
Mentally cursing himself, he rushed out, “I’ll see you at the gates,” before hurrying back to the front of the train. Embarrassingly relieved to find his phone on the side of the seat where he left it, he shoved it in his pocket with his wand. Turning to the train door, a movement in the corner of his eye attracted his attention. The train was practically deserted now, apart from Harry and what appeared to be a tiny owl trying to escape out of the closed window.
Harry stepped forward quickly, cooing, “Alright little buddy, we’ll get you out of this pickle.” The little owl blinked at him dejectedly and flapped down to perch on his shoulder. He reached up to the window latch and shoved it open. Cool air hit him immediately and the owl hooted gently before flying up, out of the window and towards the castle.
He was staring at the spot where the owl had vanished when he heard the external doors of the train being slammed shut. “Oh, Merlin,” he gasped, darting towards the nearest exit and muttering apologetically to the station attendant as he jumped onto the empty platform.
“Shit. Shitting bollocks,” Harry let out a string of curses under his breath, cloak billowing behind him as he ran towards the gates of Hogsmeade Station. He ploughed straight into the gates themselves, panting and sweating, and grimaced when he raised his eyes to see someone in a green and silver uniform greeting him. A prefect’s badge twinkled at him in the starlight. A Slytherin, he thought miserably. Bloody typical. He was bound to get points deducted from him now. “Before you start, man, I can explain,” he said, voice thin. “There was this tiny owl in one of the compartments, right? And it had been forgotten –”
“Is it just you?”
“Sorry?” Harry asked. He looked up for the first time, still panting slightly, to focus on the Slytherin prefect’s face. The boy staring back at him, eyebrows raised in a question, was a few inches shorter than Harry and had a small smile threatening his features.
“Are you by yourself?” The prefect pointed to the carriage behind him. “There’s only room for one more.”
Harry felt completely wrong-footed. He’d never had a Slytherin be anything other than thoroughly unpleasant to him before and certainly not one that was so cute. “Oh, um, yes. Just me. Single pringle.”
The prefect sent a confused look his way and Harry inwardly cringed. He often forgot that not everyone at Hogwarts had a working understanding of the Muggle world and if he was a Slytherin, this boy probably wouldn’t.
“Okay.” The prefect swung the carriage door open and said brightly, “Jump up.”
Harry clambered up the steps, taking care to keep his cloak from getting trapped in the door. He nodded at the other passengers, who were all gazing back at him in obvious boredom. He turned back to the Slytherin boy, “Did you need to ride too? I can make room.”
“No, don’t trouble yourself. I’ll walk,” the boy said simply, shrugging. “I’m not important, nobody’ll miss me if I’m a little late.”
Harry was about to respond when the carriage jerked into motion, “Oh, okay. Um, thanks, then.” As the carriage trundled up the path Harry looked back to the small figure, disappearing into the distance, and pulled his cloak tighter around his shoulders. He wondered why he hadn’t noticed the prefect before. For a Slytherin, he thought to himself, he was actually pretty nice.
Later, when he was settled at the Gryffindor house table, Harry leant forward on his elbows to get a better look at the first years walking up to the front to get sorted.
“Bless,” he laughed as one of the small ones tripped on the hem of his cloak. “They’re so wee. They get smaller every year, I swear.”
“I don’t know what you’re laughing at, Styles,” Jesy whispered from across the table. “You were the most ridiculously adorable eleven year old about. It’s the only reason I became friends with you. God knows what’s going on with you now.” She waved her hand in Harry’s general direction. He sent a mock look of offence over to her before turning back to watch Anthony Abdella get sorted into Hufflepuff.
It went on for a while, with the sorting hat shouting out the new students’ houses in its shrill voice, “HUFFLEPUFF. GRYFFINDOR. GRYFFINDOR. SYLTHERIN. HUFFLEPUFF. RAVENCLAW.”
Then, Professor Debussy called out a name that piqued everyone’s interest. “Malfoy, Scorpius,” she said, word’s ringing clearly around the hall. A curious silence fell across the room. Everyone knew about the Malfoy’s and the role they’d played in Voldemort’s uprising, but part of Harry hoped that perhaps it might be different now.
“Maybe Ravenclaw?” he whispered to nobody in particular.
The small blond boy sat on the stool and Professor Debussy lowered the sorting hat on to his head. There was a beat of silence before, “SLYTHERIN.”
Murmurs broke out across the hall. “They claim another one, then,” Niall muttered next to Harry’s ear. Harry hummed and watched as Scorpius walked over to the Slytherin table at the far end of the room. Harry recognised the boy that he sat down next to as the prefect he’d met earlier. So he made it back in time, he thought.
He turned to Ed, who was sitting on his other side, and nudged him, “Hey, what’s the name of the Slytherin prefect? The guy? Have you met him?” As the new Gryffindor prefect, Ed had spent most of the train ride up in a meeting with the rest of them.
“What’s that, which year we talking?” Ed asked, turning in his seat to glance at the Slytherin table.
Harry shrugged, “I don’t know. He looked about our age.”
"Well, the sixth year is Melor Ulanov.” Ed brought his arms out in front of his chest, hands clenched in fists, “Great hulking bloke.” The impression, coupled with Ed’s red hair and round face made a rather amusing sight.
Harry smiled, shaking his head. “Nah, don’t reckon I mean him.” The boy he’d met was far too slight for that.
“Well then, the newbie is Louis Tomlinson,” Ed carried on, rubbing his jaw. Louis , Harry thought. It suited him. “He’s Quentin Tomlinson’s brother, you know?”
Harry did know, his ego was still recovering from the bashing Gryffindor had received from him and the rest of the Slytherin Quidditch team last year. “Oh, yeah. The old Seeker?” He craned his neck to get another look at Louis. “Hang about, didn’t he used to be on the team as well?” Harry suddenly remembered seeing the boy flying across the pitch from where he used to watch in the stands.
Niall nodded, clearing having been following the conversation. His face was smashed against his hand where he was leaning against the table, “Yeah, but he was ill last year, I think. Something like that, you haven’t played against him.” Niall pulled a face, “He’s quite good actually, if it’s him I’m thinking of. Chaser. Got on to the team in second year.”
Jesy clicked her fingers, “Hey, ain’t his mother a Rosier?”
Ed grumbled, dark expression travelling across his usually cheerful face. “Yeah,” he said. “Think they keep that pretty quiet, though.”
Niall hit Harry on the arm, sitting forward. “Eyes forward, Deema’s up.” Harry spared Louis one last look before turning to the front to watch Zayn’s little sister get sorted.
“RAVENCLAW.”
Harry clapped his hands, looking over to Zayn and giving a thumbs up. Zayn smiled over from his seat on the Ravenclaw table. Harry watched as he gave his sister a small wave and a big grin.
“Ah, bloody typical,” Niall moaned. “Why don’t we get any of the clever ones?”
Ed shoved him playfully, ruffling his hair, “Speak for yourself.”
Harry paused for a moment, debating whether to draw more attention to his new found interest in Louis Tomlinson. He tried to sound as casual as possible as he asked, “Have you spoken to him?”
Ed stopped, letting go of Niall and shrugging, “Not really. I supposed he was civil enough at the prefect’s briefing.” He narrowed his eyes, “Why? Is he giving you gyp?”
“No,” Harry said lightly. “Not at all. I just didn’t recognise him.”
“Yeah. Keeps himself to himself mostly, I think. You must know him though, Harry, we’ve had classes with him.”
Harry frowned, trying to remember seeing Louis in lessons. Before he had any luck Jesy flapped her hands at them all, “Ssh, the new Potter kid’s getting up.”
“What’s this one’s name? Albert? Alfred?” Ed teased. Harry smirked when Jesy scowled at him. Jesy was obsessed with all things Potter. Harry’d had to physically restrain her last year when James Potter had been sorted into Gryffindor. Now James’ younger brother Albus was at Hogwarts he could only imagine her getting ten times worse.
Once again the sound of quiet muttering rippled through the hall. “Poor kid,” Harry said, lowly. “I’d hate to have everyone talking about me like that all the time. He looks bloody terrified.”
“You’d love the attention, Styles. Don’t lie to your betters,” Ed scoffed.
“Not like that I wouldn’t. Nobody’s interested in him, it’s like he’s a prize trophy or something.”
They all watched as the dark haired boy was engulfed by the sorting hat when it was lowered on to his head. Harry looked over to where Jesy was biting her lip, both of her fingers crossed. He smiled at her.
The sorting hat’s yell came a second later, “SLYTHERIN.”
The hall burst into life, nobody even bothering to hide their shock. Jesy’s face fell as Niall gaped, “Merlin’s beard.”
Ed cackled, “Well, I did not see that one coming.”
Harry shook his head, baffled. He heard boos coming from behind him and turned to see Liam whacking one of the younger Hufflepuffs over the head, who’d apparently been making the noise. Harry caught his eye and raised his eyebrows as Liam mouthed, “Bit of a surprise?” Harry leant around Ed to get a better view. He could see James Potter standing up nearer the front, a look of shock and confusion on his face. Albus shuffled over to the Slytherin table, eyes glued to the floor, and sat down next to Scorpius Malfoy. Neither of them spoke to each other.
“That could be interesting,” Niall said, turning back to the dwindling crowd of first years.
As everyone’s attention went back to the front Harry’s lingered on the Slytherin table. He watched as Louis leant over and spoke to Albus. Harry had no idea what he was saying, but his features were soft and Albus was nodding gently. Louis made to sit back in his seat, as he did so his gaze travelled across to the Gryffindor table and right to where Harry was staring at him. Harry blushed when their eyes met, immediately turning around on the bench to face Jesy.
He rolled his eyes in despair of himself and spent the rest of the Sorting fiddling with his wand or artfully avoiding looking over to the Slytherin table. By the time ‘Granger-Weasley, Rose’ had been sorted into Gryffindor Harry was more than ready for the feast to start.
~
Upon receiving their timetables for the year on Monday morning, Harry and Niall immediately ran over to the Ravenclaw table to compare their classes with Zayn.
“Gimme. Gimme, gimme,” Harry said, not bothering with a hello. He waggled his fingers at Zayn until the other boy relented and handed over his timetable. Niall and Harry instantly put their heads together to examine it, as Zayn himself returned to slowly spooning cereal into his mouth.
“Aw, this is awful,” Niall moaned as they both scanned the parchment. “We’ve only got Charms and Defence Against the Dark Arts together. I need you in Divination with me. And what am I supposed to do in Astrology, now? Have you thought about that?”
Zayn swallowed his mouthful, “We’ve still got Transfiguration together. All hope is not lost. And I don’t actually have ultimate control over the timetable, just so you know. I’m not quite as all power as you seem to think.”
Niall scoffed and waved at Liam as he walked over. He’d brought Perrie with him, the other Hufflepuff prefect. Niall nudged Harry in the ribs with a smirk. Zayn had fancied Perrie since second year but had never made a move. Apparently he valued their friendship too much. Harry suspected it had more to do with Zayn’s overwhelming fear of failure, but he kept that to himself.
“Hello boys,” she said brightly, stealing Zayn’s glass of pumpkin juice.
“Please, please Zayn, tell me we have Potions together,” Liam said as he dropped down next to Niall, dramatically. “I cannot face that dungeon without you. I will not.”
“You know,” Zayn said with a small frown. “I’m not one hundred percent sure, but I think I resent the fact that you guys only want to have lessons with me so you can copy my work. If you actually paid attention–”
“Hey!” Harry interrupted, tone mocking. “I do pay attention. My friendship with you is based on your acerbic sense of humour and your acerbic sense of humour alone. Any other traits that you have, be that intelligence or a heart of gold, or even your romantic soul, are completely irrelevant.”
He grinned as Niall joined in, “Yeah, and so what if I reckon you’d be a gentle and attentive lover? That’s not what I’m here for. I –”
“Okay,” Zayn stopped them short, cheeks flushed. Harry laughed. “I think that’s enough for now. Yes, Liam. We do have Potions together.” Harry watched as Zayn sent a short glance over to Perrie, who was biting down on a smile. Zayn coughed and returned to his now soggy cereal.
Perrie looked over Liam’s shoulder, “And we have Divination together. First thing this morning.” She smiled over to Zayn, “I’ll see you there, then?”
Zayn nodded and mumbled, mouth full, as Perrie left. Harry, Liam and Niall all turned to him, smiles wide as he simply glared back at them.
While Liam and Niall helped themselves to breakfast, the post arrived. There wasn’t much of it, as it was only the first morning, but Harry watched as a handful of owls flew around the cloudy sky of the Great Hall ceiling. Most of what they were delivering, he suspected, were items that their owners had forgotten to pack. His eyes were drawn to the Slytherin table where Albus Potter was opening a letter, his expression the very picture of abject misery.
Harry sighed and shoved his plate of toast to one side, pulling Zayn and Liam’s timetables towards him.
“Whatcha doing?” Liam asked.
Harry bit his lip, forehead scrunched up in concentration. “I’m trying,” he said, “to figure out what we have with the Slytherins this year.”
Niall moaned, “Okay, then. Lay it on me. What’s the damage?”
“Alright, you sure you’re ready? It’s Astronomy,” Harry started. Niall nodded sombrely. “Divination.” He bit his lip. “Potions.” He groaned. “And finally,” Harry carried on, “Oh, Niall. I’m sorry, mate. It’s Muggle Studies.”
“Oh, flying flobberworms. That’s the worst yet,” Niall said, slumping onto the table.
Liam rolled his eyes, “Don’t be so dramatic, Horan. It’s not that bad, they’re just people.”
“Don’t ‘Horan’ me, Payne. It’s that idiot Wren. I swear he had a confundus charm put on him as a baby or something, he hasn’t got a clue.”
Harry couldn’t disagree. Marcus Wren was one of the dimmest, most cruel people he’d ever had the misfortune to meet. He couldn’t help feeling a little swirl of happiness, though, when he thought of all the time he would have in class with Louis.
“Well,” Harry said, standing up and pulling his bag onto his shoulder. “Start as we mean to go on. Potions, first thing on a Monday morning. Lovely.” He waved to Zayn and Liam, and flicked Niall on the ear, “Come on, don’t want to be late for Debussy.”
As the two of them walked down to the dungeons a plan was forming inside Harry’s head. “Niall?” he asked, trying to sound subtle. “I’m going to ask you to do something and, if you truly love me, you won’t ask me why. Okay?”
Niall laughed, “Time to hide a body? I knew this day would come.”
“Not quite.” They were almost approaching the classroom entrance, so he stopped, pulling Niall back. “Will you partner up with Ed this year?”
Niall’s eyebrows shot up, “Trying to get rid of me, Styles?”
Harry licked his lips and tugged at his ear awkwardly. “I want to try to work with L – Er, Tomlinson.”
“Okay,” Niall drew out the word. “But he always works with St James.” He was clearly curious but, to Harry’s relief, didn’t pry.
“Oh, right. Damn it.”
Niall smiled, shaking his head. “Well, Jesy does owe me a big favour.” He shrugged, “Maybe she can distract him?”
Harry resisted the urged to jump for joy. “Yes,” he said. “That would be perfect.” Niall looked at him through narrow eyes before setting off to wait with the other Gryffindors. As Niall spoke to Jesy, Harry fell in line between the Soller twins. Across the passageway he watched Louis nod along to something that Greg St James was saying.
Niall’s plan worked like a charm. Harry simply stood at his work bench and waited as Louis hovered near St James and Jesy’s desk, looking faintly confused.
When Louis finally gave up and began to search the room for a spare seat, Harry tried to look as welcoming and compos mentis as possible. Spotting Louis walking in his direction, he gave himself a firm pat on the back.
“Do you mind? Apparently house integration is the name of the game this year,” Louis said with a self-conscious smile.
“Sure,” Harry replied. He stepped to one side to make room.
“Thanks.” Louis took a deep breath, “Um, Tomlinson. Or, uh, Louis – Louis’ fine.”
Harry offered his hand, “Hi, I’m Harry Styles. We met, I don’t know if – At the station?”
As Louis shook his hand he nodded and said, not unkindly, “Yeah, I remember. It was only yesterday.” Harry blinked, cringing internally. “Last year’s Quidditch hero as well, right?”
“I reckon it was more beginners luck but if you want to carry on believing I’m just incredibly talented, I won’t stop you,” he teased.
Louis smiled and looked as if he was about to reply when Professor Debussy clapped her hands together, “Alright. Quiet down. I know we’re all very excited for the new year but we have a lot to get through. If you could all open your books at page nineteen …”
Harry dared another glance at Louis. The other boy, however, had already flipped open his book and was flicking through the pages. Harry caught Niall’s eye from across the way. His friend gave him a thumbs up, with Ed grinning behind him. Harry pouted and pulled his book out of his bag.
The rest of the week went along in a similar fashion. Harry believed himself to be a master of subtlety until Zayn barked at him in the middle of charms, “I’m not going to pretend to understand your obsession with Tomlinson but can you please stop daydreaming about him for long enough to concentrate on not setting fire to my robes.”
Harry blinked, “Setting fire –?” He looked down to where his smoking wand was dangerously close to Zayn’s sleeve. “Oh shit. Sorry, man.”
Zayn shook his head, a little exasperated, “So, what’s the deal, Haz? Give me the gossip.”
“There isn’t any gossip,” Harry replied, honestly. “He was just nice to me. When I was running late for the Sorting Feast, he gave me the last space on the carriage. I just think he could be someone worth getting to know,” he shrugged.
“Yeah,” Niall said from the desk in front of them. “Arterbury refrained from punching me in the face the other day, when I accidently made eye contact with him.” He turned around in his chair. “I thought that was pretty nice of him, but you don’t see me going around trying to sniff his hair.”
“I’m not trying to sniff his hair, Jesus,” Harry huffed. “There’s nothing wrong with trying to expand your friendship group.”
“No,” Zayn smirked. “Especially not if he’s pretty as fuck.” Niall laughed.
“You think he’s pretty?” Harry asked, voice light.
Zayn raised his eyebrows, “I’ve got eyes, don’t I?”
“Okay, he’s fairly easy on the eye. So sue me.”
“I would if I thought you had any money,” said Zayn, dismissively.
“It’s fine, Harry,” Niall said, elbowing Zayn’s arm. “We’ll be your wingmen, okay? Just don’t jump into anything with your eyes closed, that’s all we’re saying. And I reckon his hair would smell great, by the way, if you were wondering what my position on that was.”
Harry stared, “I really wasn’t.”
“Quiet, you three,” Professor Albion said from the front. “Or I’ll have to separate you.”
Zayn gave him a look before they were all utterly distracted by the kitten Ed was meant to be silencing, which started to roar.
It was almost a full week after that when Harry, Liam and Niall were packing up after a thoroughly enjoyable Herbology lesson.
“I’ll see you both in Binns’, yeah? I need to go get my book from the dorm,” Niall said as he scurried out of the greenhouse.
“Yeah, see you Niall,” Harry replied. He and Liam were the last people left, apart from Professor Longbottom. Harry groaned as Liam struggled to shove all his books back in his bag. “Li, seriously, I’ll take some. We’re going to the same place.”
“No,” Liam said, clearly irritated. “I knew this bag would be too small. Damn it.”
"Is everything all right over there?” Professor Longbottom asked from the top of the greenhouse.
“Yes, sir,” Liam said, voice the perfect model of politeness. Harry was beginning to suspect that it was Liam’s impeccable manners more than anything else that had landed him the position as Hufflepuff prefect. “We’ll be out of your way momentarily.”
“There’s no hurry, boys,” the professor responded as Harry sniggered at Liam, mouthing ‘momentarily?’
Just as Liam managed to force the zip on his bag to close, there was a knock on the door. Harry and Liam both turned to see Louis standing apprehensively at the greenhouse entrance.
“Mr Tomlinson. Class doesn’t start for another five minutes, you know,” Professor Longbottom said kindly.
Liam elbowed Harry, jerking his head towards Louis, as if Harry hadn’t immediately been acutely aware of the other boy’s presence. He scowled at Liam’s grin.
“Yes, I know, Professor,” Louis said. He glanced towards Harry and Liam and shifted his bag on his shoulder. “I was just wondering if I could talk to you about something first.”
“Absolutely. What’s on your mind?”
“It’s, um, sort of private,” Louis said, his words coming out stilted and awkward.
“Of course,” Professor Longbottom replied, unfazed. He turned to the two of them, “Mr Payne, Mr Styles, would you mind?”
Harry faltered for a moment, unreasonably considering simply refusing the request before Liam shoved him forward. “No problem,” Liam offered. As they approached the door, he added with a nod, “Goodbye Professor, Tomlinson.”
Louis blinked. “Payne,” he nodded back. Harry almost tripped on the step out when Louis looked over to him and said, with a much softer voice, “Harry.”
“Yes. Louis, see – See you,” he managed to garble as the greenhouse door was shut behind him. He paused before slumping on to the castle wall. “Not a word, alright. Not. A. Word.”
Liam laughed, “I wasn’t going to say anything.” He gave Harry a pat on the shoulder. “I think it’s cute. Come on, you know Binns hates us being late.”
If he could only have a conversation with Louis that lasted more than ten seconds, Harry was sure he’d make a better impression. So far, though, such opportunities were proving elusive. Harry needed to up his game. He allowed himself another few seconds of self-pity before following Liam into the castle.
~
The opportunity Harry had been looking for made itself known the weekend of the Quidditch trials. It was still September, fog lingering on the ground, when Harry and the handful of other hopefuls tumbled onto the Quidditch pitch, ready to impress.
The newly appointed captain, Poll Soller, had been mumbling darkly to anyone who would listen for the past week as, it turned out, the Slytherin trials had been scheduled for directly after the Gryffindor ones. This had come as somewhat of a blow to the majority of Gryffindors, who didn’t like the idea of potential Slytherin spies, but Harry had been thrilled. As Zayn had commented dryly when Harry had broken the news to them all over breakfast on Thursday, “Bet you’re crying yourself to sleep over that one, Styles.”
Harry gripped his broomstick tightly in his numbing hands. Niall said he would come along to cheer him on and Harry scanned the stands to try and find him. He spied several Slytherins waiting gloomily for their own trials to start later and tried to remain calm when he spotted Louis leaning against the railings. He was squinting up at the sky, looking delightfully rumpled, as if he’d just rolled out of bed. Harry jumped as Poll started shouting directly in front of his face.
“Right, ladies and gentlemen,” she said to the small crowd. “Let’s get straight to it. We’re starting from scratch, so every position is available. Let’s try the Chasers first. Line ‘em up.”
He watched the Chaser try outs and sat nervously next to Niall as potential Seekers took to the air straight after. “Just relax,” said Niall through a mouthful of toast. “You’ll be fine. Poll loves you. You could fall off your broom and still get on the team.”
“Yeah, that’s not actually helping,” he mumbled, scratching his knee. He chanced a look over to where Louis was sitting but the other boy was busy frowning at the pitch. St James had joined him and appeared to be trying to levitate a small spider that was running across the rails.
“And stop staring, it’s creepy.”
“I’m not –” Harry started, but was cut off when Poll yelled for the Beaters to head to the pitch.
“Good luck, Harold.”
Niall was right. He needn’t have worried. Being back in the air, club in hand, was easy. He flew circles around the pitch, sending Bludgers in whichever direction he pleased. When he landed on the ground again with a satisfying thud, Poll was smiling at him, though her dark eyes were still stern.
“Not too shabby, Harry.” She cocked her head, “Team list’ll be posted in the common room by three.”
He nodded, taking several deep breaths. Beater was a physically demanding position to play. When finally the Keepers had been tried, most of the hopefuls left for the changing rooms, but Harry forced Niall to hang back with him so they could watch Slytherin. Or rather, watch Louis.
He was brilliant, better than Harry remembered. Niall whacked him when he started to applaud a goal Louis scored.
After the Slytherin trials wrapped up Harry and Niall were heading back to the castle. They spotted Louis loitering on the path, fiddling with a strap on his bag.
Harry paused, internal conflict raging. Niall shoved him, “Do it, just go and speak to him!"
“L – Louis!” he stammered. Louis looked up, his face splitting into a smile as his gaze landed on Harry. Harry gave a small wave. “Hi, Louis, I – Er, I was watching you over the –” he pointed over his shoulder, clicking his tongue. “You’re pretty good.”
Louis looked faintly bewildered for a moment before he laughed, “Um, thank you.” There was a pause where all three of them simply stared at each other. “I saw you earlier,” said Louis, suddenly eager. “Beginners luck had nothing to do with it, did it?”
“We’ll see.” He shuffled his feet. Niall coughed, staring intently at Louis. “Oh, this is my friend, Niall.”
The two of them shook hands. “Hello. Horan, right?” Louis asked, narrowing his eyes. “I’m Louis. Um, I think, or I’m fairly sure anyway, that you’re my third cousin, actually.”
Harry turned on the spot to stare at Niall. He wouldn’t have forgotten to share such vital information with Harry, not when he’d been talking about Louis since the start of term, surely?
“Oh, yeah,” Niall said, voice high as it dawned on him. “That’s right, great auntie Jean. She had a sister in Slytherin I think? Married a Tomlinson or something. Huh, that’s weird.”
Niall began to nod but stopped when he spotted Harry’s expression. Louis replied, “Yes. My grandma, Wendy.”
“You never mentioned that,” said Harry, voice carefully neutral.
Niall shrugged, attempting to look innocent, “It slipped my mind.” Louis was watching them both uncertainly.
Harry sighed, “Well. Nice ice-breaker. So, you think you’ll get back on the team. After being out for a year?”
Louis bit his lip, looking unhappy. “I really don’t know,” he shrugged, kicking the path. “I kept up the practice last year but it’s not the same as a match is it?”
Harry’s brow rumpled, “Practice? I thought you were too ill?”
“Oh, no. I think – My brother said that,” Louis said, scratching his ear and looking awkward. Great, Harry thought, he’d managed to put his foot in it. Again. "I – My father, he, well he forbade me from playing for the team.”
“Forbade you?” Harry noticed Niall’s dumbfounded expression in his periphery.
“Well, yes. No, not really,” Louis said, flustered, a blush creeping up his neck. “Yes. It was – I was being punished. It – Well, it doesn’t matter, he’s said I can try out again now.” Louis brought hands together, close to his chest. He looked small as he smiled lightly, “Fingers crossed, I suppose.”
He was so adorable, Harry almost didn’t notice the falter in his voice. Before he realised what he was saying, words came tumbling out of his mouth, “You’re very nice.”
Harry was almost certain he heard Niall mutter, “Oh for goodness sake,” as he scratched his nose, staring at the ground.
Harry, on the other hand, couldn’t take his eyes off Louis. The other boy was beaming at him. Louis seemed to catch himself after a second though. He coughed, “Thank you. Um, are you – How have – um.” He looked frustrated with his own words before he said, “Potions! Potions is getting harder, don’t you think?” He was clearly trying to make conversation with Harry, albeit with dubious results.
“Yes. Yes, tricky,” Harry nodded in agreement.
“I’ve, er, I’ve got myself a pretty good partner though, so I reckon I’ll be alright,” said Louis, bashfully.
Harry felt the blood rushing to his face. “Niall and I were going to go down to the kitchen. It’s his birthday tomorrow, we wanted some special food. You – You could come with us?”
Louis frowned a little, glancing at Niall, “I didn’t know students were allowed in the kitchens.”
Niall scoffed, “I don’t think they’re supposed to, but who cares. What kind of Slytherin are you?” Niall’s eyes flicked down to Louis’ prefects badge, “Um, that is – Please don’t take points off us.”
“What do you say? Break some rules with us?” Harry teased, playfully.
At that moment St James called to Louis from the castle entrance and Louis spun around to wave at him. He turned back to Harry and Niall, expression apologetic, “I’ve gotta go. Thank you, for the offer. Maybe another time?”
Harry stepped forward as Louis went to leave, “Let me know, you know, if – If you make it? On to the team?” Louis sent him a politely puzzled look before nodding and jogging away to where St James was waiting for him.
Niall hummed, “Well, at least you’re both as horribly awkward as each other.” He pressed his lips together, “I think I need to re-evaluate my life decision, though. He was actually alright. You know, for a Slytherin.”
“Isn’t he, though?” Harry coughed, “Come on, we have a house elf to see about a cake.”
Harry got a position on the team and, in Divination the next day, Louis crouched down next to him to whisper that he’d got his position as Chaser back as well. Ignoring the strange looks he received from the Slytherin corner, Harry bit his lip when Louis walked off to sit near the window, forcing himself not to grin like an idiot.
~
Harry’s interaction with Louis maintained a steady level after that point. Louis didn’t take him up on his rule breaking offer but they managed to establish a small amount of work related banter in Potions as well as competitive yet friendly ribbing of each other’s house Quidditch teams. Harry had to put up with a certain level of teasing from his friends after Niall had re-enacted their post Quidditch trial conversation in all its cringe worthy glory, as he so put it, with as much theatricality as he could muster. Harry reckoned it was worth it, though. He even began to actively look forward to the lessons the Gryffindors shared with the Slytherins. He could almost feel his first year self turning in his grave.
By the middle of October it was time for the first weekend trip to Hogsmeade. Harry had visited Hogsmeade for the past two years, so some of the novelty was beginning to wear off, he was still happy to be let out of the castle for a break though. He, Liam, Niall and Zayn all put their names down and donned about five layers of woollen clothing before stepping out into the late morning chill.
As their boots crunched on the frosty ground, heading towards the picturesque village, Liam was murmuring beside him about visiting Zonko’s Joke Shop and Honeydukes sweet shop.
“We can go there, Li, but could we just head to Tomes and Scrolls first?” Zayn asked, voice muffled twice over by the howling wind and his thick scarf. “I ordered ‘Pyromancy: Perception or Prevarication?’ last week and they said it would be in by now.”
Niall stopped in his tracks. “Pyro-what? Is that extra reading you’re doing? We haven’t even been here two months!” he asked, outrage evident under a particularly violent shiver. “Never mind. As long as we get to Dominic Maestro’s at some point today, I’ll be a happy Horan.”
Zayn rolled his eyes, “That is all I want in life.”
Harry let the conversation continue, zoning out as they neared the High Street. He quickly spotted Spintwitches Quidditch Supplies and wondered over to stare at the cobweb-ridden window display. Since he had been reinstated team Beater, he’d been toying with the idea of buying a new bat to go with his new broom.
“Liam,” he said, turning to face his friends. “Hey, Li, do you –” He stopped short when he was met with empty space. He sighed. They mustn’t have notice him stopping to browse. “I take my eye of them for two seconds,” he muttered darkly, squinting into the distance to see if he could spot them further down the path.
“Talking to yourself?” a voice came from behind him. “First sign of trouble, so I hear.” Harry jumped on the spot but quickly recovered when he saw a well wrapped up Louis looking at him. The Slytherin’s hair had been pressed flat against his forehead by his woolly hat and was creeping into his eyes. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.”
“You didn’t,” Harry lied. Inside his head, his thoughts were whirring. Take the bull by the horns, Harry. Carpe diem. “I’ve lost my friends. They’re a pretty ruthless bunch. You fall behind, you get left behind,” he joked.
Louis went along with it. “The epitome of honour,” he nodded.
“Right.” As a brief silence fell between them Harry noticed the dark circles under Louis eyes and the downwards turn to his mouth.
“I don’t have an excuse, really,” Louis said. “Just, sometimes, Greg’s monologue gets a little too much.”
It took a while for Harry to realise that Louis was talking about St James. He bit his lip, summoning up all of his courage. “Did you want to get a drink with me, maybe? I promise I’ll leave long enough pauses for you to speak, if you fancy it.”
Louis smiled and pushed his hair away from his face. “I don’t know –” he started, looking up and down the street. Stragglers from the Hogwarts party were walking by them, disinterestedly. Louis turned back to him, eyes strikingly blue in the cold light. “Yeah, alright then. Why not?”
“That’s the spirit,” Harry said and the two of them headed further into the village, their footprints trailing behind them in the frost.
They settled into a corner booth in The Three Broomsticks and Harry spotted Jesy and Jade near the window, giving them a small smile. When Louis pulled off his hat and scarf Harry could see a faint flush creeping up in neck. It was fascinating.
“So,” Harry started, feeling altogether pleased with himself for getting Louis to sit with him. “We’ve known each other a while, I’d like to think we’re friends –”
Louis scoffed, eyebrows raised. “Acquaintances,” he corrected.
“Okay. Well, I’m looking for an upgrade,” Harry said, offering a cheeky grin. “Tell me about you.”
“You want to know about me?” Louis eyed him with thinly veiled scepticism.
“I’m pretty sure that’s what I said.”
Louis sighed, glancing out of the misty window, “Look, Harry, you seem like a nice guy. I like working with you, but let’s not try and make this something it isn’t, okay?” Louis worried his lip, “I shouldn’t have come here with you.”
Harry lent forward, the cosy warmth of the pub washing away his nerves. “I don’t follow you.”
Louis levelled him with a steely glare, “We can talk to each other in class, right? We can nod when we pass in the hallway, we can even make small talk but you’re kidding yourself if you think we can be friends.”
Harry leaned back in his seat, frowning. What on earth was going on inside Louis’ head that made him think that way? Harry wasn’t to be deterred, he was convinced Louis was one of loveliest people he’d met and not even Louis himself could persuade him otherwise. “Why?” he asked, tone playful. “Are you a horrible person? Are you trying to save me from yourself or something?”
“No,” Louis seemed to smile in spite of himself, fiddling with the label on his bottle. He mumbled, “I’m awesome.”
“Well, so am I! Let’s just be awesome together. You can be my Ron.” Louis gave Harry a bemused look. “Because, my name’s Harry and –” he spluttered. “Nevermind. Will you just give it a try? It couldn’t hurt.”
“It might.” Louis flicked his gaze to meet Harry’s before sighing dramatically, “Fine.”
Harry could tell he’d won him over. At least a little. “Maybe I should tell you a bit about me first?”
“Maybe,” Louis conceded.
“Well.” He thought for a moment. “The two main loves of my life are Quidditch and music. If I could combine the two somehow, I would, maybe like a Quidditch meets musical chairs sort of thing, I don’t know.
“I once fell out of a tree and broke my arm and my dad was the only person around so he just took me to a Muggle hospital. It was horrendous, so ever since then I’ve had a serious fear of broken bones. I was talking to Niall about it and he reckons I should deliberately break a bone and then fix it, to get over it but I think that’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard, don’t you agree? Niall’s a bit ridiculous like that sometimes.
“Um, I’m embarking on a project at the moment to start a house-elf band with a few of the elves in the kitchen. Progress is pretty slow but I remain optimistic.
“But the dream, the absolute dream is to go on the ultimate broomtrip across America. I want to fly over Niagara Falls or Mount Rushmore or the Grand Canyon. I want to watch a real life game of Quodpot. I want to see the Statue of Liberty and the Golden Gate Bridge. I want to go to the Wizards Exposition in Boston. I just want to see all of it, you know?”
Harry took a breath, feeling a little bashful upon seeing Louis’ stunned expression.
“That,” Louis said with an astonished laughed, “Sounds amazing. It sounds unbelievable.”
Harry smiled and took a sip of his bubbling hot chocolate. He nudged Louis foot under the table, staring over the rim of his mug, “Your turn.”
Louis grimaced, “Nothing to tell, really.”
He rolled his eyes. “Come on Louis, ‘fess up.”
“Um, well,” Louis glanced around the pub for inspiration. “I live with my mother and father and my brother, Quentin. Well, he’s moved out now, but, yeah. The whole family’s magic, so I hardly know anything about Muggles, really.” He gave a self-depreciating laugh, “I couldn’t imagine what a Muggle hospital would be like. My father always taught me and my brother to work hard, so I try to focus on my school work as much as I can.” He licked his lips. “People sometimes say I’m a know-it-all but I’m not, I’m the opposite. I have to work hard, otherwise I’ll fall behind everyone else.” Louis pouted, apparently trying to think of something else to say. He shrugged, “I like Quidditch. Mother doesn’t approve but father said it was good for focusing the mind, so he let me and Quentin try for the team.”
Harry waited for a moment before asking in a soft voice, “What about you?”
Louis frowned, “I’ve just been talking about me.”
“No, not really. You’ve been talking about your dad. I mean, that’s great!” Harry rushed at Louis’ affronted expression. “I’m not knocking dads, but, just, what about you?”
“I suppose – I want, or I wanted –” Louis huffed at himself. Harry thought he looked frustrated more than anything else. “Father wants me to work at the Ministry of Magic,” he finished rather abruptly.
“Okay, well. What about your hobbies?”
“Quidditch.”
“Nothing else? What did you do last year, when you couldn’t play?”
“I studied,” said Louis.
Harry laughed, “Blimey, you sound like Zayn at his Zayniest.” He reached out his hand across the table, laying his open palm on the old wood. “Work with me here.”
Louis stared at Harry’s hand. “I – I sometimes think it might be, like, quite cool to see Africa.” He sent a weary expression over to Harry, apparently checking the other boy wasn’t about to laugh at him. When Harry just nodded encouragingly, he carried on. “I once read in a book that in Burkina they’ve bewitched an entire forest to walk around the country. It’ll spend a week in one place, then just get up and move somewhere else!” Louis had picked up his bottle as he was talking, walking it across the table in demonstration. His whole face had lit up as he spoke. It was beautiful. But then, it was gone again. “Though, my mother doesn’t like foreign travel. She doesn’t like the idea of me or Quentin travelling abroad either, so I don’t suppose it’ll ever happen.”
Louis frowned slightly at the bottle in his hand.
“I think that sounds like a fantastic idea,” said Harry. “So, your family’s pretty important to you, then?”
“Well, I –” Louis didn’t finish his sentence, simply shrugging.
“I get it.” Harry pulled his arm back to his side of the table, fiddling with the handle on his mug. “My sister Georgie is a royal pain in the arse, but she’s pretty cool.”
Louis hesitated before saying quietly, “My brother never played with me. Not once, in the entire time we were growing up. Sometimes I look at him now and I worry that I don’t know him at all.” He sent Harry a sad smile, “My own brother. How sad is that?”
Harry was a little lost for words. “It’s tragic.”
As Harry rummaged through his brain for something to lighten the mood, they stayed in companionable silence. After finishing their drinks Harry grabbed Louis’ wrist. “We should go to Honeydukes!” he said loudly.
Before Louis could reasonably object Harry pulled him out of the booth, hurriedly shoving on his coat over his thick jumper.
They trudged through the increasingly fierce wind and Harry spotted Professor Longbottom ahead of them, chatting to Professor Hagrid. He nudged Louis with his elbow. “Did you sort it out? Whatever you were talking to him about?” he half shouted over the weather, nodding towards the professors. Louis followed his gaze, eyes widening a little when he recognised who Harry was talking about. “Sorry,” said Harry, quickly. “I shouldn’t interfere. Liam’s always telling me off for sticking my nose in.”
Harry was fairly sure he saw Louis roll his eyes. “No, it’s alright,” the other boy said. “You might be able to help, actually.”
“Oh yeah?”
Louis nodded, running a finger over his bottom lip. “It’s just this Potter kid, Albus? He’s been getting a bit of stick from the Gryffindors.”
“Oh, that’s so stupid,” Harry groaned.
Louis hummed. “It’s only the first years, really. They’re probably just trying to impress their friends. The professor said he’d have a word with them. Maybe you could keep an eye out?”
“Sure. I’ll tell Ed.”
“I mean,” Louis said, squinting towards the small crowd outside Honeydukes as they approached. “I think it’s settled down a bit now but he was quite upset at the time. You know how it is.” Louis looked at him curiously, “Or maybe you don’t, I’m not sure.”
Harry wanted to tell him about seeing him at the Sorting Feast, about how good it was of him to reassure Potter or just about how simply good he was. But they had arrived.
Louis interrupted the fierce battle inside Harry’s mind. “Is it terrible of me to say, I’ve only been in once before?”
He bit his lip and Harry tried not to stare. “Yes,” he coughed. “Yes, that is truly terrible. Come on.” He placed a hand on Louis’ shoulder and guided him through the throng of people. “You need an education.”
It was a delight to see Louis navigate the seemingly endless shelves of brightly coloured sweets. Harry watched as the smaller boy grinned, pointing out box after box. After seeing Louis start to jump on the spot while deciding between Peppermint Toads or Ice Mice Harry soon came to the conclusion that the prefect really had a lot of energy and was simply adept in the art of hiding it.
When they left the shop with their purchases (Louis had settled on just a box of the Frogs, while Harry had Pepper Imps, Drooble’s Best Blowing Gum and Shoc-o-chocs spilling from his pockets) they raced up to the Shrieking Shack.
“I beat you!” Louis panted, collapsing onto the ancient fence. “A point to Slytherin, I think.”
“Hey!” Harry protested, although his words weren’t quite as authoritative as he’d have liked them to be as he heaved in great breaths, clutching at a stitch at his side. “That’s not fair.”
Louis pouted, “You’re probably right. Okay, a point to Gryffindor as well. Second place is nothing to be ashamed of.” He stared at the dilapidated shack for a second. “And a point to Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff too. It’s not their fault they were underrepresented.”
Harry laughed breathlessly, resolving to work harder on his Quidditch training as he willed his heart to stop beating so fast.
Louis sank down next to him on the small boulder Harry had rested on. “Thank you, for today,” he said. “For all of this.”
Harry blushed. “You don’t have to thank me, Louis.”
“If you say so. But, like, sorry for being an arse earlier. I don’t –” Louis huffed, “This is gonna sound like a pity ploy but, I don’t have many friends. I don’t know why. I like people, people just don’t seem to like me.”
Harry smiled when Louis blinked up at him, timidly. Harry’s voice was quiet as he said, “I like you.”
“Yeah, so it seems,” Louis grinned, ducking his head. “You must be one knut short of a sickle, mate.”
“It’s been said before,” said Harry. His heart carried on racing inside his chest, only this time he didn’t think it had anything to do with running.
~
Harry stared into the crackling fire. It was early on a Wednesday afternoon and he, Liam and Zayn were lounging about in the Hufflepuff common room. It was quiet, with most students still in their classes. The three of them, however, were enjoying one of their rare shared ‘study periods’ together, while Niall was in his Muggle Studies lesson.
Harry adored the Hufflepuff Basement. It reminded him of a burrow or a country pub, giving him that warm, nostalgic, peaceful feeling that he so loved. If rumour was to be believed it had previously been the only common room in the castle that hadn’t been seen by other house members for over a thousand years. It was much more common now, though, to find students from all houses in each other’s common rooms. Although the Slytherins were renowned for being the last great bastion of house common room integrity.
The room was decorated in the Hufflepuff colour yellow and the circular windows near the ceiling let in beaming rays of sunlight, with magical plants hanging from almost every surface. With the Halloween Feast coming up, Harry believed it was the best place to be as the inviting fragrance of fresh pumpkin pie filled the entire room. He suspected that this was because they were so close to the kitchens, but he couldn’t rule out the possibility of actual pumpkins being grown inside the basement itself.
Liam stretched and yawned loudly from where he was curled up at the foot of the sofa. “What table are we sitting at this year?” Liam asked. “For the feast?”
Zayn twisted his neck so he was facing Liam, “I think it’s time for the Huff to step up to the plate, actually.”
“Ah, we finally huffed and puffed and blew away the competition, did we?” Liam joked. “Sound good to you, Harry?”
Harry jerked his head towards the two of them, “Sorry?”
Liam rolled his eyes, “Halloween. Hufflepuff table good for you?”
“Oh, yeah.” Harry sat up in his chair, the essay he was working on falling off his lap. “I wanted to talk to you guys about that. Hufflepuff’s fine but, would you guys mind if I – If I invited Louis?”
He shifted uncomfortably as the two boys smirked at him.
“So, you’re seriously serious about this Slytherin thing, then?” Zayn asked.
Harry shrugged, “Maybe. Can we not, you know, make a big deal out of it?”
Zayn started to laugh but Liam hit his arm, “Don’t make me bring Perrie up, Zayn. Of course it’s fine, Harry. This isn’t Mean Girls, you don’t have to ask if you want your friend to sit with us.”
“Are you sure this isn’t Mean Girls?” Harry muttered darkly, glaring at Zayn, who was still trying to stifle his giggles. “Anyway, it’s just polite, isn’t it?” He reached down to pick up his parchment once more and nodded resolutely at the end of his quill, “You guys will love him, just wait and see.”
“I’m sure we will. Zayn, check my spelling will you?” Liam asked, handing over his own essay. He looked back over to Harry. “If he’s won you over, that’s all the blessing I need.”
~
Harry shoved Niall hard as Professor Turnstone passed behind them. Niall woke up with a loud snort and Harry had to cover his mouth with his palm to stop his laughter escaping as Niall immediately pretended to be examining his star chart with avid interest.
It was about half an hour after midnight and the fifth year Gryffindors and Slytherins were crouched at the top of the Astronomy Tower, valiantly trying to stay awake long enough to jot down the luminosity of the Pleiades Star Cluster or record the location of one of Jupiter’s many moons. The cold breeze kept Harry alert but also did a marvellous job of ensuring his dislike of the subject even more. He thought he might actually enjoy Astronomy if it were held at a reasonable time, in a nice warm classroom.
“Niall,” he whispered. “Niall, cover for me. I’m going in.”
Niall gave a lazy wave of his hand before setting his eye to the telescope once more. Harry suspected he was simply trying to get back to sleep.
Harry crawled gracelessly over to Louis on the opposite side of the tower. He was fairly sure Professor Turnstone, who was substituting, was watching him the whole way but he decided not to look back to confirm it.
“Mr Tomlinson,” he said directly into Louis’ ear.
Louis startled before turning to him, unimpressed. “Alright?”
“Yeah, I just wanted to ask you a quick question.” He pulled his long legs in close to his chest and tried to squeeze into the small space between Louis and the wall. “Unless you and Greg have anything planned for it, did you want to, like, sit with us for the feast next week?”
Louis blinked. “The Halloween Feast?”
“Uhuh. We were going to crash the Hufflepuff table.”
“You want me to hang around with your friends?” said Louis with a smile. “I was worried you’d want me as your dirty little secret or something.”
Harry shifted, trying not to think too much on Louis words, “Well, that too, but no. If you want to, you’d be more than welcomed.”
Louis looked out at the dark sky before nodding, “Yeah, okay. Greg always spends feasts with his girlfriend anyway, I wouldn’t be missed. You’re sure the Hufflepuffs wouldn’t mind a Slytherin in the ranks?”
“’Course they won’t! Albus Potter and Malfoy are friends without any problems.” It was true. The two first years had fuelled a week’s worth of gossip for the school, having apparently formed a tight friendship. Harry would never admit it to anyone but whenever he saw the two boys together in the corridor it made his heart sing.
Louis looked at him as if he were stupid. “You are aware they’re both in Slytherin, right?”
“Yeah, he’s a Potter though,” he said, as though it were obvious.
“And they’re exempt from the normal rules, are they?”
“No, I just –” He noticed Louis wide grin and pouted. “Shut up.”
Louis lent closer, checking over his shoulder that the professor was busy elsewhere. “Can you keep a secret?”
Harry grinned, eyes bright, “Always.”
Louis licked his lips. “Potter’s been sad, yeah? It’s because the Sorting Hat gave him a choice. He told me about it. Albus told it he didn’t want to be Slytherin, but then it just asked him why he didn’t want to be and said that he shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, all that stuff. So, he did reconsider and since then, since it was all done, he’s been scared that he made a mistake.”
Louis paused, waiting for Harry to be impressed.
“So he chose Slytherin?”
“Isn’t that cool?” Louis’ eyes twinkled in the starlight. “I think he’s glad about it now, from what he’s said to me. When – When he first mentioned it, I told him that houses didn’t make people, that the people made houses.” Louis nodded, almost to himself. “That’s what my grandma used to say to me.”
Harry was prevented from replying by Professor Turnstone, who had crouched down next to them without either of them noticing. “Well, that’s a lovely sentiment, Tomlinson, but I can’t see its relevance to your work,” she interrupted. They both snapped their heads towards her. “I suppose one could use it as a metaphor for various stars making up their constellations, but it would be rather tenuous.” She looked at them both, one eyebrow raised. “Back to the telescopes, I think?” she said, before striding away.
Harry gave Louis a parting smirk before crawling back over to a snoring Niall.