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Other People's Choices	By : Lomonaaeren Category: Harry Potter > General > General Views: 24374 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 5
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I am making no money from this story

Chapter List
- 15
- 16
- 17
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Chapter Sixteen—Old Friends, New Friends
“He says we can come.”
“Really? Give me that.”
Hermione surrenders the letter to Ron readily enough; she knows what she read. She sits back in her chair and shakes her head in immense relief, and not a little shock. Of course she wants to see Harry, they both do, but it’s shocking to think it only took a letter to get them to the Notts’ house.
Then again, she thinks that Harry just wrote a letter to get to the Notts’, too. Or maybe Theodore wrote a letter. It seems that having a Death Eater taking care of Harry isn’t the death sentence for visiting him that she thought it was.
“Don’t you wonder why he said we can?”
Hermione pulls herself back to reality. Ron is looking at the letter like it’s going to curl up and bite him. “Not—really?” she asks. “I mean, Harry must have talked to him and persuaded him. I think Nott probably wants to stay on Harry’s good side, if he really did take him for political advantage.”
Ron eyes her sidelong, and looks back at the letter. “Do you think Harry could trick a Death Eater?”
“Why would he have to trick him? Why not just have Nott give in because he wants to keep Harry happy?”
“Because I don’t think a Death Eater would care about keeping Harry happy.” Scowling, Ron flings the letter back on the table. “You realize my parents aren’t going to like this? They won’t want me to go over to a Slytherin’s house.”
“A Death Eater’s house.”
Ron rolls his eyes at her. “Like I’m going to tell them that, Hermione. I’ll just say it’s a Slytherin’s house, and they’ll want to know why I’m going.”
Hermione begins to smile. She’s not surprised when Ron frowns at her, but it’s her turn to make deductions that didn’t occur to him. “Leave that to me,” she says, and starts thinking about the words she’ll say.
*
Theo leans over the railing from the upstairs, and watches as Weasley and Granger run through the front door and hug Harry. They don’t even gape at the enormous spiral staircase or the marble walls or the portraits that are frowning at them. It’s unusual, and Theo doesn’t like it. They appear to be engrossed in Harry.
At least Weasley pays attention after a few minutes, and does start to gape. Theo knows that’s his cue. He stands up and saunters down the stairs, letting one hand rest on the banister the way she taught him long ago.
“Nott?”
Granger pulls back from hugging Harry at Weasley’s question. She nods to him, but keeps one arm around Harry’s shoulders. “Nott.” Harry is beaming back and forth between both of them.
The sight depresses Theo, a bit. It’s one thing to acknowledge Harry is friends with Blaise, too, and another to share him with Gryffindors. But he also knows they’re not going to go away, so he has to make himself as pleasant as possible. “Granger, Weasley. Welcome. I think my father will come greet you—”
“Right now. Good morning, Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley.”
Father sweeps around the corner, holding his dark robe draped over one arm as though he’s a witch handling a dress with a train. It’s a gesture that Theo’s never seen him make before, and he swallows uneasiness while Father nods to both of Harry’s friends. Then he turns and looks at Harry, who’s stepping away from Granger with mussed hair and bright eyes. “Is this all you hoped for?”
“If we keep our promises, then I don’t think there’s any reason it can’t be.”
“What kind of promises did you make, Harry?”
Theo, his stomach prickling with anxiety, has to agree with Granger’s question. But Harry doesn’t answer. He shrugs and grabs Granger’s hand, pulling her towards the spiral staircase. “Later. Theo, can I show them the library? I know Hermione will appreciate that.”
“And what about me?” Weasley grumbles, trailing after them. “Tell me they have a Quidditch pitch or something.”
“Not a pitch, but a place we can fly.” Harry glances over his shoulder and grins at Theo. “Theo has all sorts of brooms that you can borrow if you want.”
Since it’s true, Theo only trails them, frowning a little. Father doesn’t try to call him back. In fact, when Theo glances down the stairs once, Father is standing there and watching them go with his hands folded behind his back. He turns a second later and walks through the arched doorway back into the dining room.
Theo frowns. Maybe later he’ll figure out what his father gained from letting Weasley and Granger into the house.
*
Harry grins as he watches Hermione tug another stack of books from the shelves. She seems undecided whether she wants to bury herself in them as they fall around her, or go and look for more treasures.
Even Ron has found a book he likes: a biography of Godric Gryffindor. Harry is a little surprised that’s here at all, but he supposes Tarquinius is the kind of person who likes knowledge no matter what it is. He wonders briefly if Theo’s dad was a Ravenclaw instead of a Slytherin.
Not that it really matters. And he’s not about to ask the question, just in case it means he suddenly owes another debt.
The only person who doesn’t seem to be having a good time is Theo, who leans against the library table and watches Hermione dig around. Harry walks up and leans next to him. “What’s wrong?”
Theo turns to him and casts a little charm that dims the sounds Ron and Hermione are making, although Harry doesn’t think it’ll keep anything they say really private. “I was thinking that you were becoming more and more Slytherin. But then I see you with your other friends, and I realize—you’re still as Gryffindor as you ever were.”
Harry blinks. It’s not something he’s been thinking about much in the last few days. “Well, I’m both. Or I’m only Slytherin because the Hat said I was. You know? I can still be your friend and friends with Ron and Hermione. And Blaise,” Harry adds after a second of thinking about it.
Theo twirls his wand between his fingers. “What if someone tries to make you change?”
“Is this about something you think your dad might do?”
Theo shakes his head, though, and Harry believes him. “Only that people didn’t have time to react because you were Sorted into Slytherin near the end of the year. When we come back—what are you going to say to people who think that you should stay in our House? Or go back to Gryffindor?”
“That it’s none of their business. And keep being friends with everyone who wants to be friends with me.” Harry has done some thinking, based on things Snape and Tarquinius have said to him. If people make fun of him the way they did for being the Heir of Slytherin, then he thinks he can ignore them now. That he has the right to ignore them.
Theo hesitates. “You don’t mind what they think about you?”
“Part of me always will. But nothing I can do will make them change their minds, either. I protested last year, and people still thought I was the Heir. I acted like a Gryffindor, and it didn’t change everybody’s minds. I tried to speak Parseltongue to save somebody, and they didn’t believe that’s what I was doing. So what can I do?”
Theo nods. Harry can’t tell what he’s thinking now. “Do you hate people for thinking like that?”
Harry sighs. “Sometimes. But if nothing I can do changes it, then I have to stop thinking about it because it’ll only drive me mad with frustration.”
Theo nods again and drops the privacy charm. Harry eyes him, wondering what that’s all about, but Hermione calls, “Harry, look at this! It says it’s a biography of Salazar Slytherin written by Rowena Ravenclaw!”
Harry runs over to look, but glances over his shoulder at Theo, too. Theo only shrugs and smiles at him.
It could mean anything. And like he told Theo about the students in school who might talk about his Sorting, Harry isn’t going to let things he can’t change drive him mad with frustration anymore.
*
I don’t understand why he isn’t more…
But Theo doesn’t even know the right words for what he wants to think. After all, what Harry says is perfectly reasonable. He probably couldn’t change anyone’s minds about him being the Heir of Slytherin, and there will even be some people who think that him being Sorted into that House makes him the Heir after all. Harry is well-served to put their hatred out of his mind and focus on what he can change.
At the same time, that Harry isn’t thinking more about the political context and the friendships he could make with Slytherins if he cut ties with Gryffindors is strange to Theo.
Weasley is watching him suspiciously. Theo makes himself smile and move over to the table where Weasley is sitting with his book. Harry isn’t the only one who needs to think more about the context of possible friendships, here.
Theo opens his mouth to make a comment about the size of the library and the way that Weasley can read more books if he wants, but Weasley interrupts. “Why does your family have a biography of Godric Gryffindor here?”
Theo blinks. He’s never cared to ask his father about that particular book, because he’s never read it. It’s old and, he supposes, valuable enough, but honestly, the cover has patches of blue mold on it, and some of the pages have crumbled corners. “I don’t know. I suppose one of my ancestors must have thought it was valuable.”
“I should take it. People like you shouldn’t have a book like this.”
“My father might be upset if you stole it. And what do you mean, ‘people like me’?”
“Ron.”
Harry’s voice is so full of warning that Theo stands up before he thinks about it, reaching for his wand. But he makes himself stop when he sees the way Weasley is flushing. He and Harry trade glances, and then he turns and looks at Theo.
“Right,” he says, although Theo doesn’t think that constitutes an apology. “Do you—do you think your father would listen if I wanted to buy it from him?” His hands are tight on the sides of the book, and Theo bites his tongue to keep from telling Weasley that he’s going to damage the book he wants so much to save.
“I have no idea. I have no idea how much he values that book or what price he would charge.”
“I probably can’t afford it anyway,” Weasley says, his head bowed, and he puts the book back in the stack and stares at it for a second before he shakes his head and starts to turn away.
“Why not read it while you’re here, though?” Theo continues, unable to believe Weasley is giving up that easily. “I know you can’t finish it, but—you have some time, and you—might come back and visit Harry another time.”
His argument sounds weak and stumbling to him, but Weasley stares at him as if he’s saved his life, and Theo gets an approving nod and smile from Harry. Theo smiles back weakly. He still thinks Weasley is unbelievably stupid for not thinking of the solution himself, and for offering to buy the book when everyone knows his family has no Galleons, but—well. Going around telling Harry his friends are unbelievably stupid isn’t a good idea, either.
“That’s right, Nott. Thanks.” Weasley already seems to have forgotten about “what kind of people” Theo is, as he grabs the book and plops on the stool next to the table with it.
Theo shrugs once and goes to listen in on Harry and Granger’s conversation about the books she’s picking out. He probably can’t sympathize with what she’s interested in, but he can make comments on the ages and contents of the books if she asks.
*
Tarquinius watches the children come in from a tour of the gardens, and sees the Mudblood’s eyes glint as she stares at him. A second later, she leaves his son and Harry and the other Weasley friend discussing whether the gardens could accommodate a Quidditch pitch after all, and moves towards him.
Tarquinius links his hands together behind his back and waits for her. He is comforted by the knowledge that his robes are impeccable, and he will not speak the insults that line up in his mind, and he can defend himself if she curses him.
Granger stops and stares at him. Tarquinius only looks back. Since he has no idea why she’s approached him in the first place, waiting is best.
“Why did you decide to adopt Harry?”
“Adoption is not the same as giving him a sanctuary from his family and from the pressures of politics and fame.”
“But you know you’re going to have to adopt him in the future. Otherwise, Professor Dumbledore won’t let him stay here.”
Tarquinius decides he can risk a little more plain speech, since her words make him curious. “Why would Professor Dumbledore have ultimate jurisdiction over his placement, rather than the Department of Family Services in the Ministry?”
Granger pauses. Tarquinius can see the birds of her thoughts flying behind her eyes, but doesn’t know if they’ll produce an answer.
“I—don’t know. But I thought the Headmaster took in loco parentis authority for students at Hogwarts. So he would have to be the one to consent to—”
“Certain arrangements when students are at Hogwarts, yes, such as whether a wound is too serious to be treated by the school’s hospital wing and the students should be transferred to St. Mungo’s,” Tarquinius interrupts. He does his best to make it gentle. “That does not mean he can dictate where students stay during the summer. And since Harry is an orphan, his legal guardians should be the ones to make that decision. The Headmaster of a school does not take responsibility for every orphan from the last war.”
Granger raises her head. “But his guardians are dead now.”
“Then I imagine the Ministry will need to be informed soon,” says Tarquinius, and wonders for a moment whether Harry told her about the Dursleys or whether she read about it in the Prophet and made the connection. It is a pity he cannot use Legilimency on her to find out.
“Professor Dumbledore might still need to know.”
“I do not think he does.”
Tarquinius looks her in the eye and tries to convey his quiet assurance. In reality, it doesn’t much matter what she tells Dumbledore. Tarquinius has other sanctuaries and will simply remove Harry there. He does have legal arrangements in progress—not for an adoption, but for something else—but they are taking a frustratingly long time.
“I think he really has Harry’s best interests at heart.”
“Then ask yourself why Harry is here instead of at a place of the Headmaster’s choosing.”
Granger’s mouth purses as if she’s sucking on an ice cube. “I just might ask him that.”
“Yes, you should,” Tarquinius says, and dismisses himself from the conversation, seeing the way Harry’s eyes rest on them. Honestly, he doesn’t think he’s done badly. Neither has Granger. She has a nice way of speaking, if a bit of naiveté.
And she has reminded him to check on those legal arrangements, which might be coaxed to move faster if he pays a bit of personal attention to them.
*
“What is it like really living with a Death Eater, mate?”
Harry sighs. They’re up in his bedroom now, after dinner, and he supposes he should be grateful Ron waited to ask until they were here.
And that he didn’t cast a charm to find poison in all the food at the table, the way Harry thought he would when he saw Ron clutching his wand under the table.
“It’s okay,” he says. “We make bargains, and he teaches me magic, and he doesn’t lie to me as much as Dumbledore did. I don’t think he’s honest all the time. But on the other hand, Dumbledore wasn’t honest all the time, either.”
“What did Dumbledore lie about?”
Hermione’s leaning forwards as though she’s interested in the answer to that, too. Harry turns to look at her. “He can’t really expect me to stay with the Dursleys and this blood protection idea. He wants to dictate where I go during the summer, but I found out he can’t do that. And he tried to make it impossible for me to do anything I wanted, like stay with Ron’s family.”
“Maybe he was just concerned for you?”
“Why would it be better for me to stay with the Dursleys than the Weasleys, though?” Harry snaps back. It’s not the sort of thing he would have said to Hermione just a while ago, but Snape and Tarquinius have been poking at him and making him think more, and he’s even had to think when he talks with Theo and Blaise. “He can’t answer that. And he can’t answer why he has that authority. Maybe he could have talked to the Dursleys, but they would have been thrilled to have me stay somewhere else. Dumbledore was the only one who kept insisting their house was the best.”
“And now they’re dead.”
Harry sits up a little. He didn’t tell Hermione that. But she could have learned it from the paper and putting clues together. He stares at her and says, “Yes.”
“I think Mr. Nott probably killed them.”
“He could, he was a Death Eater,” Ron says, but he looks shaken. “Harry, mate—are you sure you really want to stay here?”
“Yes,” Harry says. Once again, he thinks of how impossible it is to really explain everything that he’s feeling. He’s never managed to do it. Or he would have got away from the Dursleys when he was a kid and Muggle adults were asking him questions. “He still treats me better than they did. And Dumbledore had no right to tell me that I probably just hadn’t talked to the Dursleys and I didn’t understand them.”
“He said that? That’s horrible.” Hermione pauses, pulling at her robes with one hand. “But not as horrible as killing people.”
Harry says nothing. He wishes she hadn’t brought this up. No, she’ll never understand, and neither will Ron.
But does she need to understand?
The question sounds like it’s in Snape’s voice. Harry knows the one that comes after it. He looks Hermione in the eye and asks, “Are you going to tell Dumbledore?”
“That you’re here? That he killed your relatives?”
“Any of it,” Harry says, because that’s easier than trying to untangle the complexities of the moment.
There’s a long silence where Hermione waits, and Harry waits with a sickness in his stomach, and Ron looks back and forth between them. Harry hopes Ron will abide by Hermione’s decision. He really doesn’t want to lose his friends. This visit has gone better than he ever expected. But he isn’t going to let Dumbledore force him into living with Dudley ever again, either.
“No,” Hermione finally says, reluctantly. “I—there are some things I thought were true about Dumbledore, and now Mr. Nott says they’re not. I’ll have to look them up and see if they are, but I think it’s important to support you.” She sighs. “I’ll leave it alone and do what I can to support you, okay?”
Harry lunges forwards and hugs her. Then he hugs Ron. Ron pats him on the back and coughs.
“You didn’t show us this dueling room, mate,” Ron says, and Harry gets up to go do that.
He doesn’t want to lose his friends—any of them. But maybe he can keep them all.
*
Dedicated_Reader: Thank you for giving the story another chance!
moodysavage: No lie, the Notts are seriously considering how to study things to understand Harry!
Yes, you're right about how Harry thinks of the Dursleys. And since he's now going with the philosophy of not spending time angsting or fighting back when people will just think evil of him anyway, he's applying that to the Dursleys, too. He can't change the fact that they're dead. He'll just carry on now.
Harry really, really wants all his friendships to succeed.
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