Echoes of Time (Harry Potter)

December 11, 1943

Saturday Morning

Harry had arrived back in Slytherin's study after weeks of passing, the 'classroom' that acted as the hideaway for it was as untouched as ever; sometimes he thought the odds of this room going unused for so long were minuscule enough that there had to be something keeping it undisturbed. He'd then remember the tour he'd gotten from Elaine with Aster and Corene acting as secondary hosts, and they'd glanced over this classroom as easily as the rest.

Was there some sort of preconceived notion about this place? Had nobody opened the door through sheer inquisitive nature as he'd done?

He didn't know the answer, and if he were to hazard a guess as to when he would, it'd be towards the very end of Slytherin's journal or in the book the portrait of said man kept trying to get him to sign.

Harry sighed in the study's chair, further pulled from the studying he'd been doing.

Slytherin's anxiousness towards Harry entering his name into the book was worrying, and that acted as the driving force behind why he'd not done it yet. Comments from the ancient wizard about House Peverell's absence and the secrecy they'd all gone through the lessons were another factor that didn't sit completely right with Harry, but in all fairness, he hadn't the time or knowledge earlier in the year when at the mansion to look for any information. Soon that problem would be solved on account of Christmas fast approaching; then, he'd be one step closer to signing his name in the book so long as it proved not inherently evil.

There was always the chance that the journal was similar to Tom's back in his Second Year, but Harry wasn't sure the man would wait so long to bring himself back as Tom had tried to do… Harry shut himself off from further thoughts on the Chamber. They'd do him no good, dwelling on the future past would only give him distractions as he went about trying to foil rather than murder in cold blood, Elaine.

Come on Harry.

His self-encouragement brought his mind back from the roaming it'd been doing and made him refocus his attention on Slytherin's Journal.

Ah, right, he'd left off at the third spell introduced: this one wasn't nearly as utility-based as the others.

It was offensively focused, the description making it sound worse than the rough Latin translation of 'Inners Outward' having kept it far more vivid. Harry wasn't foolish enough to think this spell would result in anything short of death, which made him debate learning it all together - that internal debate took nearly ten minutes, with figures of reason like Dumbledore and Hermione popping in his mind as it did, their voices not wanting him to be in a position to take life with a simple cast. Eventually, Harry slapped himself lightly on the forehead and sagged his shoulders.

Not learning whatever he could, whenever possible, would be a huge mistake against Elaine.

He'd seen enough already to know the girl was leagues ahead of him, her status as Prodigy wasn't lip service as it'd so often been in Muggle school or during his time. She was, simply put, the real deal in every field.

So Harry memorised the incantation, the wand motions, and the tips given along with the casting of the spell to be as fast as possible. He wouldn't share the spell, he'd not advertise he knew it, and he hoped with any luck, he'd not be put in a situation where casting it was something he'd ever have to do.

But Elaine was Riddle or some form of the monster from his timeline, and any form of preparation was welcome.

Harry went on to spend the next thirty minutes testing the spell in the direction of an inanimate figure that'd popped up without his asking for it. He wasn't sure if Slytherin's portrait had done it, or the room itself, but Harry knew it was one of the two unless Hogwarts had finally gone completely loopy.

" Rise, son of House Peverell, lest the hour comes when the Prefects begin their rounds," Slytherin's voice woke him, making him raise his head from the sideways position it'd been resting on the table; Slytherin's journal pushed aside in favour of a tired Harry's accidental sleep

"Tempus," Harry cast, his eyes widening at the time that was returned to him and making Slytherin smirk smugly from the portrait with a look that was filled with more than a little bit of condescension.

" I'll not be going, there was a portion I'd only just gotten to after sitting down from all that casting - your spell takes a lot out of a person too, by the way."

Immediately after sitting down from the earlier casting, Harry had felt the same as he did after a Quidditch match; a general breathlessness, sore muscles and an ever-expanding sense of exhaustion that eventually won out.

All that strain coming from a spell was something he knew he didn't like. Even now, sitting up in the seat and watching the arrogant face of Slytherin, Harry felt dirty after using a spell that'd made the wooden target cycle in appearance, as new layers opened up to the stagnant air.

" You risk detentions, expulsion if done too often, to read the fruits of my labour? Perhaps your respect isn't as lacking as I'd thought, especially if one were to take in how you always return as you've done thus far."

Harry blocked out Slytherin and dove headfirst back into the book at the point he'd left on. His tired self had read a few pages before sleep eventually won out, and in that time, he'd gotten to a point that he couldn't read with anything less than his full mind.

Names.

He'd gotten to a point in Slytherin's Journal that mentioned names being signed into some sort of book - the name crossed out or written over - but Harry had a feeling he knew which one it was.

Picking up from where he'd left off, he scanned the information pertaining to it; unfortunately, the details were all of a page long… Fortunately, the details were very straight to the point.

Once started, with your name signed in that book, you were agreeing to a contract dictated by Salazar Slytherin and him alone. No amendments could be made, no understandings had or lateness accepted. There were no workarounds, none whatsoever, and Harry didn't doubt the words of one of the 'greatest' wizards to have ever lived, terrible as he seemed to be.

All of that knowledge made Harry's time waiting justifiable to himself, his cautiousness had proven correct in delaying his signing, as there had proven to be some sort of bargain rather than Slytherin doing it out of the kindness of his now portraited heart.

That was it though - no information was offered up about the agreement or what would happen if, or more likely, when, it failed.

Harry didn't like that one bit.

" Slytherin?" Harry's voice asked, looking up at the empty portrait above the desk where the man had been moments earlier, only to realise it now lay empty, the vast landscapes of it all that remained.

Standing and making his way to the other one had proven just as useful; Slytherin had left while Harry was reading a section that the man likely hoped he wouldn't find.

Harry only wondered what else remained in the book, from spells to information regarding the 'agreement', there had to be more answers.

December 11, 1943

Saturday Evening

"Harry."

He stopped and pivoted on his feet, turning towards the voice that'd called out his name without any hesitation.

It was his cousin, Daphne.

Forcing a smile on his face at the girl's presence, he greeted her.

"Hi Daphne, can I help you with something?" They both knew it was a dumb question considering how she'd sought him out, but he did as politeness dictated. Whether it was to get under her skin or improve his image by keeping to formalities, he wasn't sure.

"Walk with me."

Harry would've figured she'd said more words to gather his attention or intimidate him, but she'd left it with those simple three. He briefly wondered if he'd done anything too wrong with the older girl, but he knew during the few seconds it took to walk beside her that he hadn't, not unless waiting to write her family until he was at Peverell Mansion could be considered a slight.

He wouldn't put it past Daphne if she considered it to be.

"Arm," She said blankly, holding hers out with as much formality as he'd greeted her, and once he'd joined his to hers, they were off on their journey.

It didn't take long for Harry to question what made her seek him out, nor asking where they were headed.

Her response in turn was close enough to what he'd expected.

"We're talking about our family and Elaine again, obviously. What else would we have to discuss, Harry? It's not like I'm part of your studying group or personal circle of friends; that isn't me wanting an invitation either, so don't extend one," Daphne's tone was sharp, anticipating his invite for the former and not once during her whole reply did she look towards him.

Harry wondered just why Daphne seemed to be in a perpetually negative, if not outright hostile mood with him; he'd apologised for not knowing familial connections and surely she had to see he was serious with Elaine? He didn't know much about relationships - though he did know enough to recognise there's wasn't normal - and all, but he figured he'd done a good enough job thus far.

"Didn't I say I'd write your family come… Yule," He'd nearly said Christmas, only remembering last-second that Purebloods weren't overly fond of the Muggle term and celebration, "As for Elaine, there's not much I imagine we'll need to discuss."

He'd stand firm on the latter part.

Unless Daphne meant to offer relationship advice - of which he wouldn't trust - or wanted to give him one of the weird Yaxley talks about her, he wasn't interested in anything further she'd have to say. Aster, Corene and Reinhard were people he'd semi-trust, Yaxley wasn't horrible if Harry could figure out what was going on with the boy; Sarah was his number one confidant on account of her inaccessibility to Elaine, alongside Marcus and Veronica.

Daphne finally looked back and down at him, one brow raised with an unimpressed look on her face.

"Yes, it's been established that you don't feel the need to write my family in haste. Moreover, you've made plain your stance on the relationship you share with Elaine. While both are wonderfully specific topics in regards to the two parties, neither are what I was wishing to speak with you about. Think of introductions for my family and a bit of fun for our mutual friend, Elaine; the former is so you don't make yourself a fool come a time that you eventually meet them, while the latter is…" Daphne trailed off with a wide smile at him, the beautiful mask unnerving down his bones, "Much more pleasurable to discuss."

Harry didn't like the smile, ominous way in which she'd said that or the general happiness that had now taken over her features down to the happy skipping-like walk she'd started. If Daphne was happy about something, he knew whatever it was wouldn't be too great for him.

"Right. You're telling me about your family… after making it clear that you don't think I'm interested… why? Surely if you think I'm not interested you'd choose to save yourself the time?" Harry knew his question was warranted, as for the Elaine 'fun' she had planned, he knew it wouldn't be anything that'd leave him harmed; Daphne feared or worshipped Elaine enough not to go against her word in regards to him.

"Think of me telling you about my family as an investment on my behalf. Should you appear uninformed, uncultured or act in an otherwise unbecoming way for somebody of your station, it'll reflect poorly on me for having invited you in the first place. But, if you came with an understanding of how to act around them and with a maturity far surpassing that of Rosier's little brother or Lestrange, you'd be very pleasing for my family to meet - there's the added benefit that me introducing you would earn me a greater role in the family than that of my cousins," Daphne looked him over, focusing on his hair, eyebrows and stance, "For good reason too."

Harry didn't pay her offensive comment any mind, choosing to instead focus on the sentence she'd carelessly tossed out.

' There's the added benefit that me introducing you would earn me a greater role in the family than that of my cousins'

Telling him that wasn't smart, and Harry figured if she respected him nearly half as much as he did her, she wouldn't have. Daphne was arrogant enough in her abilities that she figured telling Harry what she had to gain wasn't risky; he didn't know if the older girl was testing him, but he'd figure out a way to use that against her eventually.

Maybe he should learn of those cousins of hers to start with.

"Finally here?" Harry glanced at the dark classroom door warily, not liking that Daphne had taken him to an unfamiliar room to speak rather than the one they'd both been in before - the one that'd originally been solely his.

"Yes," Daphne's short answer, coming out bored if anything was all he got in return before she started waving her wand about in an intricate pattern.

Harry took note of the movements she was making and pocketed them for later, whenever he next spoke with Elaine, he could more than likely figure out the spell she'd performed. While a Dark Lady rising, Riddle of this time seemed far more willing to answer questions than the one in his. It could've been due to the obsession she had with him, that was what he assumed, at least.

He had to hide a shudder.

Thank Merlin, the Voldemort in his original time hadn't shared that same infatuation; grey skin, red eyes and a noseless, hairless body were all high up on his list of unattractiveness.

"Enter."

Harry looked at Daphne, the older witch now standing beside the door with her wand still in hand after taking down or making a hole in whatever ward she'd created.

"Ladies first," Harry deferred, motioning for her to go ahead while he waited back in case she'd twisted the magic to somehow harm him; he didn't believe this action anything less than warranted, even if the words she'd told him earlier were truthful.

Bored expression appearing a little more annoyed than it previously had, Daphne stepped through the entrance and made her way towards the barely visible edge of a couch or chair.

He'd take that victory, minor as it was.

Harry entered through the door and not a second after his whole body was safely inside, it slammed itself shut. His first reaction was going for his wand while looking at the unimpressed Daphne now splayed out on a couch, her robes discarded on a nearby chair in favour of her prone position.

Seeing her relaxed as she was made him straighten himself up and take the chair across from her - the one without her robes carelessly tossed on it.

"Right… so are we going to talk about your family and Elaine or was that for anybody listening in?" Harry's voice portrayed a level of confidence that he'd seldom felt since in this weird, unfamiliar time… he wasn't sure where it came from, but he hoped it stayed, especially when dealing with Daphne.

"Perceptive, Harry," Daphne replied, rolling her head to look him in the eyes as she lazily stayed laying down - it was weird seeing the usually strict, proper girl acting anything but.

"Your answer?" He raised his head as Malfoy, or, multiple Malfoys, had done for as long as he'd known of them; hopefully, the imitation was more intimidating and less prissy.

"Why can't the answer be true and false? Maybe I intended to do exactly as I'd stated, with other topics coming up as they manifest in my mind?" Daphne brought a hand up to her face, examining her nails while using him as the backdrop so she could do two things at once. Only when she'd done that did Harry see her other hand was equally as empty; it made him realise her wand, which she'd kept hold of after removing whatever had been on the door, had been discarded on the coffee table in front of the couch she now lay spread out on.

He wasn't sure if she was equally as sure that he'd not do anything to her, or if Daphne was just that confident in her combat capabilities.

Luckily for them both, he wouldn't be finding out.

"You probably intend to do exactly that," Harry said, agreeing to the latter sentence she'd said, "Though I'd question whether or not the other topics 'manifest' rather than having been predetermined when you'd decided we'd be speaking."

Daphne made a shrugging motion from the couch; Harry continued.

"Go on then, before your family and Elaine, ask me or tell me whatever else you wanted to."

"You're acting awfully familiar," Daphne's words weren't said with any force behind them, but he knew that comment meant she wasn't incredibly fond of the random shred of Gryffindor courage that'd chosen this moment to appear.

"Maybe that's why Elaine likes me."

Daphne's eyes went from travelling the room directly to his - her face turned momentarily sour while her eyes bore into his before going back to a bored expression, a hint of amusement now sprinkled within.

"Perhaps, though I'd suspect there to be other contributing factors to your newfound relationship. Such as th-" Daphne covered her mouth in mock surprise, a girlish gasp being let out, "Silly me, I couldn't let out girl talk; let's do as you suggested and start with a side reason as to why I've brought you down here," Daphne's expression turned serious in under a second, her eyes sharp as ever, "You'll need to answer this with complete honesty, Harry. Has anyone been speaking with you in an attempt to sew dissent?"

A chill went down Harry's spine, one that he tried his damndest to hide while maintaining the eye contact Daphne had held.

Behind his occlumency shields, he was panicking. Had somebody overheard one of the late-night talks and gone to Daphne instead of Elaine? Abraxas walking in shortly after one had finished came to mind, though he remembered who knew Elaine longer than they'd known him; Aster and Reinhard. Harry wanted to believe neither of the two would ever dob him in, especially Aster after the boy had gone against Elaine's wishes in befriending him alongside the initial 'emissaries' she'd sent.

But he knew better.

It'd take longer than a few months to turn their main sense of friendship to him, longer still if they'd actively go against Elaine, but he had a couple of years before she left Hogwarts, and that was his plan. Deal with her while she's still within the castle walls, so that if things got out of hand, Dumbledore could help - even if the man seemed to be going through some form of illness, disease or otherwise unhealthy situation as he was, Harry felt from the pit of his stomach that his wise tutor would help him in an outright confrontation with Elaine.

Harry realised he'd taken a few seconds of thought and decided to cover himself with the best tool of all: laughter.

Daphne didn't seem at all impressed - she rarely did - and watched him with disdain plain to see dancing in her eyes.

"I fail to see what was funny about my question, Harry. I'm sure Elaine and Corene would be equally displeased with how you find subversive activities amusing."

Subversive activities? Harry nearly scoffed at the rarely used words; the only reason he knew the meaning was because his Uncle Vernon had gone on and on about them taking place at his work, with him usually helping them along for a better rate of pay at the expense of others. Daphne's general personality, her attempting to sound so official and the way she tried to guilt-trip him using the names of the other girls close to him all acted against her rather than for him making his decision.

He wouldn't be telling on Yaxley, and if it'd all been a test, he'd blame his reluctance on Daphne. Elaine wouldn't drive him off, he wasn't stupid enough to think even a failed test would result in expulsion from her inner circle; not after she'd worked so far to catch him in her web.

"I was laughing because it's a pretty ridiculous question."

Daphne didn't seem to think so.

"You spend time with Marcus Potter, Veronica Weasley and the rest of that band of bumbling idiots. My question is in no way ridiculous when that's the level of company you keep, simple-minded fools that focus too much on appeasing or hiding from Muggles while putting down those with any level of thought otherwise."

Interesting. Harry wasn't sure if the Potter family during this time was actively striving to help Muggles, and obviously, he'd take anything Daphne said with a grain of salt, but if that proved true maybe they'd be worth spending more time with than he already had. Daphne looking at him shook him from further thoughts on working with the Potters, as the girl seemed increasingly agitated with every response from him.

"I'll answer you clearly, then," Harry leaned in, "No. Nobody's been talking bad about Elaine or trying to make me second guess spending time with her - occasionally Malfoy's snide remarks make me wonder why he was invited, or why you stay nearby when I'm with Elaine considering your wholly hostile attitude towards a majority of the group, but nobody's ever introduced doubt purposefully," He leaned back and stretched out an arm on either side of the back of the couch, "Anything else before we move on to your family?"

Daphne's answering look, filled to the top with heat that he could practically feel burning through him, made him back off just a teensy bit with sound too sure of himself. He didn't want to annoy her enough that she'd curse him, but he wouldn't allow her to step on him anymore than she had during their earlier meetings; he'd been here long enough to see that Slytherin was all about internal power struggles.

"No, I don't suppose there will be," Daphne's serious expression gradually fell off her face as she readjusted her position on the couch until she was laying almost fully on her back with two pillows tucked under her head. Once she'd got comfortable, her expression when she next regarded him was full of the bored, almost contemptuous stare she usually kept on him once passed the initial disliking, "Ask questions instead of staying silent, and take notes with my quill if you need to - I'll not have you forgetting any of what I tell you."

Harry rolled his eyes and didn't take her up on the offer of taking notes over a simple conversation. If it was important enough, he'd remember; that was disregarding the minuscule chance there was of him ever visiting her family in the first place.

By the end of the year, Daphne would be graduated, and she had no younger siblings in Hogwarts… to his knowledge. He'd have to find out about that.

"I'll start with a general overview of my family; how they act, what standards they'll hold you to and whatever else I deem fit to preface you on," Daphne lazily swept her eyes up and down his body, "Show up exactly at the time a meeting's meant to begin, early arrival and late arrival is considered rude by my father. When dressing to visit, be seen with or otherwise interact, dress in your best set of robes… if you've got any. Send your letters from Hogwarts no later than Wednesday, so our owls don't interrupt the weekend, and always keep them plain words, eluding questions or answers isn't anything father's got time for - you'll answer or you won't, and he expects any reasonable person to do so in as few words as possible. When writing, don't refer to him as 'cousin' unless he does so first, assuming familiarity no matter how poor that'd look on you would show that our house isn't worth the respect of their distant relatives. Finally, a Yule offering is expected yearly until you no longer wish to hold relations with us; we'll be sending a token of friendship as well; now, you can ask questions since I've finished the first sub-topic."

Harry's head was spinning with the amount of information she'd spat at him… maybe taking notes hadn't been that bad of an idea.

"Why exactly on time?" Harry started with that question, biting back one asking about her more recent family history - the bit from France Corene had clued him in on.

"Father was taught that by Grandfather, as his father had done so before," Daphne's face took on a gentle smile when she'd mentioned her Grandpa, though it only lasted all of a second before she went back to bored with a hint of something else, "Traditions must be upheld, Harry, though coming from House Peverell I don't think I need to be telling you that, do I?"

"No, you don't," Harry answered, inwardly groaning that he'd not been sent back at the start of summer instead of the end as he had been - maybe then he'd get the meaning she'd thrown into the words.

"Anything else then? Or can I move on to my father specifica-lly?" Daphne yawned while saying her final word, bringing one dainty hand to her mouth as she did so and gazing at him through narrowed eyes once she'd dropped it; all but challenging him to speak on her fatigue.

Harry did as Elaine had done many times to him, he raised one brow and smiled as best he could, Daphne wouldn't be getting any rise out of him.

"I don't recall every family requiring a… Yule, gift. Why is that something your family wants?" Harry was fully talking out of his arse, but seeing as it had never come up in all the random, borderline stupid conversations he'd overheard from Aster and Reinhard alone, there was no way something like that would've been left out.

Daphne appraised him in silence for nearly ten seconds before she finally responded.

"My family requires more visible, physical affirmations of friendship. Words are wonderful tools carefully crafted but at the end of the day, they're air. Tying our families together during public Yule gala's is wonderful for showing onlookers the relationship's established."

"Right," Harry nodded, thinking inwardly that House Oleander sounded like it'd been scorned a fair few times, and remembering the brief history he'd had of it, it had been.

"Father then. He's a very serious, business-oriented, strict man - don't try to crack tension or initial greetings with jokes or overly friendly statements."

"Speak plainly," Harry commented aloud, earning himself a narrow-eyed glare from Daphne before the older girl picked up where she'd left off.

"Introduce yourself with your full name and titles, offer up general information about House Peverell - nothing too personal, we're asking for an overview with nothing specific and will give the same in return. Should you eventually wish to discuss business, specify that one letter prior to doing so, though I may as well say that goes for all things formal, not simple communication between family."

Harry was more confused with her use of 'family', making sending letters with them sound incredibly simplistic when it wasn't in the slightest; if it were, he wouldn't need letter-sending advice. Merlin, Pureblood culture was mental, it reminded him of Muggle history lessons before Hogwarts with all the nobility rubbish he'd have to be well-versed in before too much longer.

Tuning back into the conversation, Daphne was still speaking about the differences, more lack thereof that he noticed, between tones in letters. Half a minute later when she was finished and asked if he had any questions, he answered with a resounding no. Her initial few sentences were easy enough for him to get the gist to her entire spiel about her father - don't mess around, be as respectful as possible and keep Abraxas' level of formality.

Easy.

"Your interest in our family seems to be waning, Harry," Daphne's words sliced through the silence that'd only recently begun covering them.

"It's not," Harry assured the older girl who'd finally chosen now to rise into a sitting position, slouched as it was, "There's just so much information, it takes a minute or two to process it all - don't want to go about disrespecting your father," Only you, The last two words were said inwardly only and half-meant.

Daphne always seemed tense, hostile to most and otherwise imperceivable for a reason, one that he couldn't begin to guess on but suspected was for a reason. If her father acted worse than she did, based on the wonderful likeness her words claimed to have, any conversation with the man, be it written or verbal, would be difficult.

"Wiser words from you, I've never heard, but perhaps I'll move on to our dear friend Elaine regardless," Daphne reclined until her back was fully against the couch, going so far as to rest her head on the top of it until she was peering down at him from behind a mask of hair and clothing, "There'll always be more times to corner you for a conversation on our family, and I must admit my patience is growing thin in regards to Elaine's infatuation with you. Far be it from me to test her judgement, but other than your family name and an affinity for a few classes, I don't see the spark in you that she's claimed exists. Maybe a certain level of passion is needed or you change how you act when you're alone with her, but I've never seen or felt anything special as she's spoken about numerous times."

Harry was more interested in Elaine's infatuation, passion and what she claimed to 'feel' when near him than the threat Daphne was likely edging towards - he'd spent enough time with Corene to notice that she and Daphne acted fairly similar, though the former liked him whereas the latter…

"Show me your strength."

"What?" Harry looked at Daphne with more confusion than he'd done all night; such was a testament to how her presumed threat turning into a demand was more mind-boggling than the information dump she'd done with her family.

"Show me why Elaine finds you so appealing," Daphne stood up from her seat and back to the usual height of six-foot-something she was, "You beat Abraxas in one duel and got invited to Avery's late-night illicit, prestigious duelling sessions. Not long after, Elaine began dating you and since that point, she's been insufferable with how often you come up as a topic. Corene's compliments towards you do nothing but make Elaine speak further on her favourite subject. Perhaps I've missed your level of power, though I think not, but show me what makes you so well-liked by everyone."

Harry saw that she hadn't reached for her wand yet, and tempted as he was to go for it for his own protection, he knew from past words alone that Daphne was leagues ahead of him in current times. Plainly, as the girl and her family so loved, he'd get his arse whooped without getting a spell out.

"No."

His voice portrayed the same sense of confidence he'd been feeling this evening when talking with her, and he'd roll with it as long as he could, hoping it wouldn't leave him before his conversation with Daphne finished.

"I wasn't asking, Peverell. If you're part of Elaine's group o-… group, you'll listen, otherwise, I'll be having words with her."

Harry didn't like how she'd cut herself off short, but he knew for a fact that he'd never missed out on Elaine telling him about a hierarchy in her friend groups. If he paid complete attention to the point of disregarding his surroundings to anything or anyone, it was Elaine; everything she said remotely important would be remembered so long as she hadn't killed him yet.

Her murdering him didn't seem nearly as likely as it initially had either, much to his immense joy and to an even larger sense of shame - they were dating now, and everyone commented on the degree Elaine liked him, romantics would call it true love while more sane people would call it obsessiveness to the worst degree. Either or didn't matter to him so long as it masked his intentions, kept him safe and for the more teen side of him, let him snog a beautiful witch if he could disregard the very lucrative things she'd done.

"Elaine never bothered telling me to listen to you or Corene, so whatever angle you were trying won't work. Maybe if I were Abraxas or similar to him it would… anyway, I think I'll be taking my exit now," He stood up from his seat slowly, keeping his hands visible so she'd have nothing to justify herself with - why he'd done so was obvious, nobody could lie to Elaine, more than a few people had told him that.

"Stop."

Daphne's voice held authority, almost as much as Elaine's did the few times he'd heard it.

Standing from the seat he'd previously been in, he took in the now very annoyed expression on her face with that same earlier indeterminable feeling mixed in. He didn't feel the need to say anything more, nor did he think he'd get away with pressing too much further, but he stood silently watching her so she could get out one final sentence before he made his exit to find Aster, Corene or Sarah; anybody sensible would do.

"We'll return together, I'd like to give you something I've been holding onto," Daphne picked up her wand, making Harry tense for the briefest of moments before the older girl slid it up her sleeve and made her way to stand a foot in front of her with one arm held out in the universal 'escort me' gesture.

One internal, nearly life-destroying struggle later in which his courage was rapidly failing, he connected his arm with hers and the pair began making their way back to the Slytherin Common Room.

Nearly five minutes later on that agonisingly slow walk, Daphne broke the silence that'd come over them since they'd made their exit from her 'personal' room.

"Would you believe me if I said I was goading you into showing me whatever it was they see you in that I don't?"

Harry looked at her awkwardly, eventually shaking his head and offering "No," in response.

Daphne didn't look peeved with his answer, not any more so than she usually did.

"I'd take that to mean you'd not believe anything else in relation?"

He shrugged in response this time, not knowing or having anything to say in reply.

Thoughtful humming from Daphne was the last interaction between the two before they returned to the Common Room, splitting up and going two different ways.

Thus, it was only natural before any decision could be made on his behalf for how to spend the rest of the night, he saw Aster, Reinhard and Yaxley calling him over - Harry didn't hesitate in joining them.

"Pev, mate. I'd heard you'd left with Daphne earlier but I figured it'd been a joke!" Reinhard laughed and nodded along with Aster's words, Yaxley looked amused but no less weird than he more recently had become.

Harry figured he'd respond light-hearted considering the company and area they were in, but speaking with Yaxley again was something he'd be doing before the night ended; the boy looked poor in health and acted not nearly as lively as he'd done within the first few weeks of Hogwarts.

"No joke there, unfortunately," Harry settled down in the seat next to Aster, "Hey Aster, you don't mind if I take Druella to Hogsmeade right? I think I'd love to sp-"

"No. You're not taking my sister to Hogsmeade. Reinhard, switch topics so the git stops bringing my sister up," Aster pointedly looked away from Harry with a faux show of anger and a potentially real gagging effect while Reiner chuckled in response to the call for help before acquiescing.

"Duelling."

Reinhard said one word and looked at the three other boys.

Harry followed his looks over at Aster and Yaxley to see what their reactions were since he knew what his own would be - hopeful. Not hopeful that he'd always win or somehow prove to be the greatest dueller in Hogwarts history, hope that duelling would be beneficial considering the class he'd gone to with Malfoy had been anything but. As for Aster and Yaxley's reactions, the former didn't seem overly interested while the latter nodded erratically; Harry wasn't an expert on reading people but the boy somehow seemed worse than his initial appearance had let on.

"Duelling…" Aster prompted when neither Harry nor Yaxley did, following his return of the word to Reinhard with a narrow-eyed glance at Harry.

Harry could practically hear the ' Don't talk about my sister, git!' from Aster's expression alone.

It made him really want to get Druella in on a prank if only for the seconds-long reaction he'd get from Aster.

"Duelling," Reinhard reaffirmed, a look of realisation flashing across his face when Aster made a 'go on' motion with his hands, "We could go to that duelling group run by that Hufflepuff Prefect, the one from Seventh-Year. Could learn a thing or two that the Ministry's not allowed to teach us if the rumours are true. If they're not, could always join Cade's lot," Reinhard along with the three other boys seated in a semi-circle looked over towards the aforementioned boy's group. Three boys and two girls were sitting near Cade, all of them looking less than… friendly, in the conversations they were sharing while looking disdainfully at anybody who moved near them - Reinhard looked back towards Harry which made the other three boys turn their attention back to the group too, "Thoughts? "

Harry had been personally invited by Cane following the time he'd beaten Malfoy, but he wasn't fond of getting his arse kicked, and he had more than a small feeling that if he attended that'd be exactly what happened. So, with that being his line of thinking, he agreed with the Hufflepuff Prefect.

Aster and Yaxley both went with that too, though the latter had needed prodding before an answer escaped him.

Following that topic, the conversation took many a turn from Quidditch - as that always seemed to happen - all the way to marriage inquiries. Harry hadn't known such a thing was still used during these times, but apparently, Pureblood families would formally inquire as to the state of an unmarried subject in another's house before pursuing them. Aster's look when Harry opened his mouth to ask a question while in that topic had been very distrusting and anticipatory; luckily for them both, Harry didn't bring up Druella… he would've if the girl hadn't come down five minutes earlier.

No sooner had that topic died off than the next appeared, and it was one that never escaped with the current time of year as it was when a group of teenagers were together in conversation.

Christmas, or Yule, as his friends called it.

Everyone was excited for the upcoming holiday that always offered gifts aplenty. Aster, Reinhard and even Yaxley were excited in their talking about what they'd requested from their families; Harry imagined he would've been too if any family or friends from his time had made it to the past alongside him… he wished at the very least one had.

"What about you Pev? What're you hoping to get?"

Aster directed that question to him once Yaxley finished his answers, and Harry hadn't any clue how to answer considering how far down his list of importance getting Christmas presents currently was. There was always the obvious stuff like clothing, books or candy, but considering one of Yaxley's presents that he'd heard the boy wanted was an animated basilisk that acted as a mousetrap by paralyzing the little things, he wasn't sure if simple answers would be accepted.

Merlin, that mini-basilisk sounds wicked.

Harry's inward comment from thinking on Yaxley's answer made him wince not a second after he'd finished it. Basilisks weren't fun to deal with, and even one that acted more as a mousetrap than anything else would probably still be enough to cause him phantom pain in his arm where the tooth had gone in - he swore he could still feel an occasional muscle spasm or quill-pricking sensation some days.

"Pe-"

"Aster, Reinhard," Abraxas' voice cut off whatever Aster had been about to say, the Malfoy boy's calling from halfway across the room serving as a great aid to provide Harry with more time for an answer that should've been easy.

"Yeah?" Aster didn't bother standing up or going over to Abraxas, and his tone implied he wasn't overly interested in whatever the other boy had to say.

"Your presence is required over here," Abraxas hadn't said; it was Corene, the usually neutral expression she always wore, replaced with one of concentration and minor fatigue.

Reinhard stood up without hesitation, while Aster showed much more reluctance, enough that Elaine had to stare at him for nearly five seconds before he did as requested with a great deal of eye-rolling.

Harry's snickering at Aster's show earned him a tip of the hat from the latter boy, or would've if he'd been wearing one - Harry learned at that moment that tipping a fake hat was one of the most internally cringing things he'd ever witnessed… that was saying a lot with Ron's love life as well as his own.

"Alright, Yaxley?" Considering how they'd been left alone, Harry figured now was as good a time as any to see if his third constant companion was feeling any better than he looked

"Yes, I'm fine," Yaxley's response was a blatant lie based on the minor wince he made and seeing that, Harry questioned why the boy hadn't gone to the medical wing yet. He briefly debated asking exactly that until he realised whatever was affecting the boy may be something he wanted to keep personal or otherwise couldn't deal with in Hogwarts. Harry remembered how reluctant he always was in terms of receiving care, especially when he'd been living at the Dursleys.

At best, he could show Yaxley he was reliable in case the boy needed him; moving out of the common room and to their dorms so the boy could relax better would probably help too.

Faking a yawn, Harry stretched out in his seat and looked towards Elaine's group that was quietly conversing before bringing his attention back to Yaxley.

"I'm thinking about turning in early tonight mate," He stood up from his seat and extended a hand to Yaxley, "Think I could ask you a few questions before I do? There're a few things I'm interested in, politically," Harry didn't have a single thing related to politics to speak about, but saying that sounded better than 'Hey, Daphne asked me earlier about our not-so-secret talks and Elaine' or 'I read through that book of spells you gave me, can you help me with one of them?'

Yaxley grabbed Harry's offered hand in response and stood up using it, letting go once he was fully on his feet.

"Let's go."

Harry couldn't respond fast enough - Yaxley was already walking away as soon as he'd fully stood up.

Not a minute later, the two were seated in one of the couch alcoves in the fifth year dorms and looking out into the vast expanse the lake provided, all manners of marine life milling about without any sense of urgency.

"Was it a question about Elaine, or the journal I'd given you? We both know you seldom talk politics, and when you do, I can't help but think you're not overly fond of the subject," While Yaxley looked unhealthy, his perception and speech weren't nearly as bad as he'd suspected, especially not if the other boy could see right through Harry's vague question.

"Elaine," Harry replied, watching how Yaxley's eyes stayed focused solely on his face.

"Go on."

"You've cautioned me about spending time with her, about getting too close to her, you've even said I shouldn't trust all that I see in regards to Corene or Sarah - why? I've never asked for details in the past, I probably should've, but you can tell me why right now while they're all busy talking," Harry finished by flicking his eyes towards the closed door to their dorm.

Yaxley looked at Harry for nearly half a minute, his face being more relaxed than he'd seen since the earliest weeks he'd known him. When he finally spoke, his voice sounded strong and level.

"Elaine's very powerful, Harry. She's never once shown any real hostility towards you either. I don't know what's so unique about you that she's become as invested as she currently is, but hope to Merlin it doesn't run out or she'll try collecting you as she's done with everybody else currently considered a 'friend' by those not within Slytherin," Thus far, Yaxley just made it seem like Elaine was ruthlessly ambitious, Harry didn't hear anything all that Dark Lady sounding, not until Yaxley spoke his next sentence, "I followed you once, did you know that? I wasn't sure if you'd seen me when you went to that girl's bathroom on the second floor," Harry's blood ran cold, especially with how calm Yaxley kept pressing on, "You know the same as I, the same as a few others too; don't you wonder how much more there is that we don't know in regards to her? I know I did - foolish as it was, I'd made many inq-" Yaxley stopped speaking and looked at the door; it opened.

"Hey, Pev, Yaxley!" It was Aster, and Reinhard wasn't with him, "I was wondering where you two ran off. Think I'm grabbing a shower for the next half hour, but would either of you be game for some chess once I'm back?"

Yaxley nodded once almost instantly, Harry wasn't sure if it was done out of a love for the game or just to get Aster gone.

"Wicked, I'll see you two later - better not fall asleep!" Aster summoned his clothes from their position on his bed and left just as quickly as he'd come in.

Yaxley turned back to Harry and sighed.

"Don't think we've all that much time left to speak, not if Aster's out from that impromptu meeting. Word of advice, don't go looking where no eyes were meant, Harry," Yaxley stood up from his seat and looked down at Harry, "As for your friends Corene and Sarah, neither of them is nearly as altruistic as they seem; they come from old blood for a reason," Yaxley paused and chuckled lightly, "I suppose that goes for nearly every Pureblood, doesn't it? Corene needs you for something, Sarah has more friends than you'd think."

Reinhard burst through the door, whooping loudly and moving towards the table where the Chessboard usually lay.

Yaxley took that time to bid Harry goodnight, and when Harry returned it, heading to his own bed, he knew he'd have a lot to think about.

Peverell Manor had to be a turning point for him, especially with his confidence at an all-time high.