Chapter 140: 4-1
Hogwarts had fully embraced the silver holidays, and for Christmas, just like a little while ago, we Potter brothers were left in the care of the Weasleys. It was easy to tell that this was Dumbledore's consideration. The lingering scent of "our house" was still too strong for us.
Because we couldn't be certain if Kreacher could resist the orders of Bellatrix Lestrange—a blood relative of the House of Black, even if from a branch family—he ended up staying in the Hogwarts kitchens for Christmas as well. With Dobby around, I wasn't worried about him, but—a house without Sirius or Kreacher was far too big for just the two of us. It was far too cold. The Weasley house, cozy and with the heat of the fireplace reaching every single corner—that kind of modest happiness was enough for us.
The Weasley family (minus Percy), Professor Lupin, Fleur, and the Potter twins gathered around the dinner table on Christmas Eve. The next day, after a moment of roaring laughter over the present Ron received from Lavender (a "My Sweetheart" necklace), Harry had a confrontation with the hypocritical Scrimgeour.
"Did he, I mean, come here just to see Harry?"
Ron grumbled, peering out the house window at the two of them standing side-by-side in the garden. Scrimgeour's back was stiff with nervous tension.
"Probably. The Ministry of Magic needs a new symbol. An absolute icon that everyone can place their hopes and expectations on."
"And they want Harry for that? Honestly, talk about convenient."
"Harry will refuse."
Just as declared, Harry returned looking thoroughly displeased. Pulling Ron and me upstairs, he reported the contents of the conversation to Ron, just as he always did.
"So Scrimgeour is wary of Dumbledore too. But you—you don't know, right? Where Dumbledore is or what he's doing while he's away from the school?"
"Yes, I don't know. Truly. ...Maria, you don't know either, do you?"
Two pairs of eyes looked straight at me. It wasn't a look of suspicion. Nor was it expectation. They were just completely calm eyes.
"—I don't know. Truly."
As I smiled, Harry returned the smile in the exact same way.
"I see. Then, it means it's not time for me to know yet."
"No way, Harry. Maria is lying."
"That might be true. But it's fine. If Maria says he doesn't know—whatever the truth is, I'm not supposed to know it. ...Not yet, anyway."
That's what it was, wasn't it? My thoughtful younger brother restrained his best friend and gave me a mere formality of a confirmation.
...He's grown up. For a moment, it felt a bit like looking at Albus.
"You know—you're gradually starting to resemble Dumbledore."
Behind his glasses, his green eyes narrowed mischievously. Harry probably meant it as a joke. But I could only offer a bitter smile in response.
Because it was true.
—Surely, in the end, we will be very much alike.
Back at Hogwarts after the Christmas holidays, Hermione's counterattack finally began. Whenever Ron, who was starting to find Lavender annoying, shifted his gaze toward Hermione, she would deliberately put on a gentle smile and latch onto me. She completely ignored Ron. ...Well, I had decided to side with Hermione this time around. Figuring I could at least play the role of a wall for her, I matched her actions with a bright smile.
Next was Harry's problem. Harry had been given homework by Dumbledore. The task of extracting Slughorn's memory. It was an assignment I had struggled with immensely during "my" time as well, but while Harry and the others were fighting an uphill battle, Draco and I were working on a completely different matter.
"—What is the Greengrass family up to right now?"
The three of us gathered by our usual spot at the lakeside. Our special guest was the maiden in love with love, Pansy Parkinson. Constantly on edge and practically glued to Draco, she deepened the crease between her eyebrows and flared her nostrils. Her face plainly read that she was displeased.
In the past, Hermione and I would have exchanged childish insults about her having a vulgar face... but looking at her now, it perhaps wasn't quite that bad.
"I don't know the exact details. But it's true they've suddenly become unusually wealthy. It's a recent thing. My father was complaining that Mr. Greengrass was acting overly important at parties. ...Frankly, I felt like he was trying to replace the Malfoys. Talk about not knowing one's place. They're just nouveau riche."
Envisioning an angry Hermione as Pansy snorted and ranted, I asked her timidly.
"Are you not close with Daphne?"
"With neither of the sisters. Daphne is... someone I talk to occasionally, but her younger sister is a rival in love. And you too. Why are you looking like this has nothing to do with you?"
"O-Oh..."
I flinched, receiving a maiden's direct glare for the first time in a while. Honestly, I'm constantly surprised by how completely different each girl's approach is. You couldn't understand a girl's heart even if you used Legilimency...
"But, well, if you're that worried about it, I suppose I can keep an eye out for you. We'll be even after that."
"Huh?"
"My debt to you. It would tarnish the Slytherin name to be indebted to a Gryffindor. I am Pansy Parkinson of Slytherin, after all."
Laughing triumphantly through her nose, Pansy arched her back, making the crest on her chest stand out as if on cue. The symbol there, of course, was a serpent.
"Besides, why on earth is a Gryffindor so chummy with Slytherins? Two of them, at that! It gives me the chills. Unbelievable. You are seriously weird. So hurry up and wipe that stupid, drooling-dog look off your face. Just in case you've forgotten, I will repeat myself: I hate you, I will continue to hate you in the future, and some cheesy, melodramatic farce where we become friends because of this is absolutely, eternally impossible. …………What?"
I blinked at Pansy, who was glaring up at me with intense eyes and had even politely pointed a finger at me. Then I looked at Draco. Draco shook his head.
"Pansy... you're actually quite funny, aren't you?"
"Huuuh?!"
Pansy scrunched up her face to the absolute limit, looking genuinely baffled, and stomped her feet.
"Argh, I can't stand it, this is exactly why I hate Potters! You're so oblivious, it's impossible to talk to you. Anyway, I'll deal with the younger sister somehow. You just make sure you protect Draco when he's out of my sight. Got it? Now let's go, Draco."
With a thoroughly sickening, syrupy voice, Pansy wrapped herself around Draco's arm. She wore a triumphant expression as if to say 'how do you like that?', but I no longer felt the unreasonable heartburn I got when Lavender clung to Ron. Draco's eyes were completely vacant. Being so boldly told by a girl that she would protect you—well, as a guy, it definitely makes you feel some type of way.
"She really is funny. By the way, Pansy, aren't you going to call me Maria anymore?"
"I told you, don't get so chummy!"
Now, Pansy, who had promised to keep an eye on Astoria, took action first thing the very next morning. And in a rather forceful manner, too.
"You there—yes, you. Come here. I'm going to teach you proper dining etiquette when dealing with your superiors."
"Eh?"
The one who was roughly grabbed by the arm was, of course, Astoria. Draco and I, having just stepped into the Great Hall where breakfast was laid out, were dumbfounded. Beside Astoria, the aforementioned Daphne was smiling eerily.
"You don't mind, do you, Daphne? This is for her education, after all."
"...Yes. By all means, please accept her kind offer, Astoria. Thank you for looking out for my younger sister, Pansy."
"It is a senior's duty to look after the underclassmen in their own house. There's no need for thanks."
Smirk. Even though they were smiling, I could see sparks flying between the girls. It was like watching Hermione and Lavender accidentally bumping into each other in the dormitory. ...Girls really are terrifying.
Furthermore, Pansy did us another huge favor. She deliberately spilled potions on Theodore, forcing him to roll up his sleeves. There was no Dark Mark on the arm of Theodore, who had been our next suspect after Astoria. With this, thanks to Pansy's (unscrupulous) cooperation, Theodore was proven to be clean. In other words—we were back to square one.
"Everyone looks suspicious."
"I feel like I'm going to collapse from all this paranoia."
I clutched my head alongside Draco in front of an eerie potion vial. It was Potions class. Harry was with Ron, and Hermione—who seemed to have clashed with Harry before class and was avoiding me—had paired up with Ernie. As an outcast, I was paired with fellow outcast, Draco.
Today's assignment was to independently brew an antidote for the poison currently sitting in front of us. However, I couldn't focus on it at all.
"Who could be connected to the Augurey? While inside Hogwarts. Isn't that practically impossible? This is Hogwarts, you know?"
"And I still don't even know the reason why the Augurey is targeting me either."
"If it were Harry, sure, but..."
"If it were Maria, sure, but..."
We muttered at the exact same time, found it amusing, and chuckled. During class, Harry made an excellent play by using a bezoar and was praised by Slughorn. "Cheater," Draco murmured, to which I gave a small shrug. I had already informed Draco about the Prince's book—and it goes without saying that he made an incredibly disgusted face. I'm telling you, the Harry of this timeline wouldn't cast Sectumsempra.
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