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Secrets and Truths	By : stargatebabe Category: Harry Potter > General > General Views: 3563 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Chapter Four
Unexpected Company

�Well look what we have here. A weasel, a mudblood, a scarhead and a beauty.� He said as his gaze stopped on Althia.

Ron started to jump to his feet as well as Harry when they saw the tears in Hermione�s eyes. Even though she had punched him in the nose in third year the term still hurt her feelings. But before they could even stand completely Althia rose from her seat and pushed them back down. She then turned to their visitors.

�Let me see, platinum blonde hair, steel gray eyes and a shitty smirk that just doesn�t do your good looks justice. You must be Draco Malfoy and these two thugs are none other than Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.�

Goyle and Crabbe just gave a grunt in response. Malfoy just smiled.

�That�s right, I see you�ve heard of me. You must come from a pureblood family. No mudblood or half blood would know me, for I don�t associate with those types.�

Althia just cocked her head and gave him a smirk of her own.

�I wouldn�t be so sure of that. I�m pure enough for my liking. What does it really matter anyway?�

�Oh it matters plenty. I think you're just putting me on� he leaned toward her and smelled her as if she were a rose � you even smell pureblooded. Which brings me to my next question. Why are you sitting with these losers, you should choose your friends more wisely.�

�So your telling me I should have friends like them� she said pointing at Crabbe and Goyle � Sorry but I much prefer friends that speak, not grunt, thank you very much. Or were you speaking of only yourself? That would be another matter entirely. I suppose I could consider it but you would have to stop being such an ass toward my friends here. Considering our age Draco, name-calling is a little childish, don�t you think. So unless you intend to grow up a little I suggest you run along and let me and my friends be.�
That infuriated Malfoy and he drew his wand.
�How dare you speak to me in such a manner.�

�Ha, what are you going to do Draco, hex me? Please, you�re no match for me. Go now, before you really piss me off� she replied with an icy voice.

�Oh, I doubt that you little vixen. You�re no match for a Malfoy, you��

At that moment she lunged at him and shoved her palm into his chest. He was jolted back into Crabbe and Goyle by her magical surge and was knocked unconscious.

Upon seeing him knocked out she was momentarily surprised, that wasn�t supposed to happen. She gathered her wits and spoke to the two thugs.

�Now unless you two want some of the same I suggest you take him and leave.�

With that said they collected Malfoy without a word, or grunt, and walked away.

�Merlin Althia, that was great, I didn�t realize your hands could do that too!�

�If you know how to do it Harry, healing powers come in handy for more than just healing.� She giggled.

�Healing powers? Harry, how did you know she could do anything like that?� Hermione asked.

�Err�umm�well��

Althia knew that if he wanted his two friends to know he wouldn�t be stumbling with an answer. She had left her ability unspoken on purpose in their earlier chat. She decided to help him out by answering for him.
�I told him about it earlier, before you two arrived. I guess I forgot to mention to you both, sorry about that. Oh no, that wasn�t one of your questions I left unanswered was it?� she laughed.

Harry gave her a grateful look and relaxed a bit. She wasn�t going to tell his friends about what she had done for him, keeping her word not to tell anyone.

Hermione and Ron laughed as well. But Hermione was suspicious. Ability like that isn�t something that would be brought up in casual conversation. She was hiding something and she knew it. She would find out what it was or her name wasn�t Hermione Granger!

Soon enough they were nearing Hogwarts and the time came to change into school uniforms and robes. The boys had excused themselves to go change in the restroom so the girls could have the compartment.

�This just totally bites!� Althia exclaimed.

�What does?�

�I can handle wearing a robe and even the tie but having to wear a skirt, it�s unthinkable.�

�Why, what�s wrong with skirts?�

�I do not like skirts, at all. Give me jeans, cotton or best of all leather. As long as their pants I could care less what they�re made of.� She said as she pulled off her turtleneck.

�Well I�m sorry to inform you it is a school rule and must be followed. At least you only have to wear them for the duration of classes, then you can change into whatever you want�

�Thank God for that. Hmm, classes you say. Well there aren�t classes tonight so pants it shall be, nothing wrong with bending the rules a bit, right?�

Hermione was trying to listen to her speak, but her attention was drawn elsewhere. Althia waved her hand in front her eyes when she spoke.

�Earth to Hermione, come back please.�

�Huh, oh sorry. I was distracted, what did you say?�

�I said I was going to bend the rules a bit and keep my pants on for tonight. What distracted you?�

�Well, it�s just that I noticed your tattoo when you went to remove your pants. I didn�t mean to stare.�

�Ha I almost forgot about that. Like my nose, that�s one more thing to thank Siria and Banji for. They�re both big on body art and piercing. Well Banji prefers tats and Siria prefers piercing. They each have both though.�

�They didn�t talk you into did they? Those things can be hard if not impossible to remove. I read in a book once that some colors never come out.�

�No, no I wanted it. If I truly don�t want to do something no one can make me do it�just ask my father�I can be quite stubborn.�

�If it�s not too forward may I see the whole thing, some of it was covered before.�

�Sure�

Althia undid the buttons to her jeans and slid them down enough to reveal the whole tattoo. Hermione came closer to get a better look. It was rather beautiful and somewhat large. It was of a phoenix with its wings spread in flight toward the sky. The tails feathers trailed down her right thigh and the body covered her hip. The wings wrapped around her back and front, the tips slightly wrapping around her navel in the front and brushing her tailbone in the back. The coloring seemed unusual. It was mostly red and gold but splashes of indigo, royal green and black were used in the wing and tail tips. Hermione had noticed a slight defect in the shoulder of the bird and was about to ask about it but Althia spoke first.

�Well, now that you�ve seen the whole Monty, what do ya think?� She asked as she pulled her pants back up and buttoned them.

�It�s beautiful, although large. What made you decide on a phoenix, does it mean anything to you, why not a nice little fairy on a crescent moon or flower. I don�t think a muggle shop has anything quite like that on their walls. Or is it a wizarding tattoo?�

�Again with the questions. You really should consider a job with the Daily Prophet when you graduate Hermione.�

Hermione looked hurt at her statement.

�I�m just kidding, I did ask you what you thought. Okay in order then�yes it means something to me, I�ll get to that in a minute though. I figured if I were going to get a tat why not go all out, I�m like Banji that way; prefer them over a piercing, even though I have two of those too. I do like fairies and that�ll probably be my next one. No, muggle shops don�t have this design because it�s one of a kind; Siria drew it. Yes it�s muggle not wizarding. And before you ask my father actually took me to get the belly button ring when I was eleven, that one was done in a wizarding shop.�

�Really, I had to wait �til I was fourteen. And begged my parents then. You said it has a meaning, what is it?�

�I did agree to that didn�t I. Lets play a little guessing game, just for fun.� She replied as she pulled her wand from her armband. �Okay, you see the large diamond in the tip?� Hermione nodded �Inside that diamond are phoenix tears�can you guess yet or do you need another hint?�

Hermione thought for just seconds before her face lit up.

�They hold healing powers, and you have the ability of healing I�m guessing, so I can see why you chose that particular design. Wow�

�Very good Miss Granger, ten points to Gryffindor.�

She and Hermione both laughed and finished changing. Hermione in her official uniform and robe and Althia in her school shirt, black tie and robe. But where Hermione had her skirt on she instead kept her black jeans.
Meanwhile at the same time in the boys restroom�

�Well now that it�s just me and you mate, how was your summer really?�

�The same as usual Ron. Just a bit longer and a lot more lonely. I missed not coming to the Burrow.�

Harry hated that he had to keep secrets from his best friend. He wished he could tell him just how bad it was. But what could be changed anyway, what was done was done, and he didn�t want to burden him with his problems. Besides he didn�t think Ron would really be able to understand how his home life really was. Ron came from a large loving family that embraced their magic not loathed it. No one there called you a freak and truly meant it. Hell even Percy was more loved at home than he himself was. He also knew that he couldn�t tell him of the guilt he felt over Cedric�s death or the nightmares of that and the graveyard. No, this was something he knew he would have to handle on his own. Why cause more pain to his friends, there�s nothing they can do anyway.

�Are you sure Harry, you seem a bit thinner than you usually do at start of term. Did they let you eat at all? And where did you get that bruise on your leg?�

Harry was glad for the tee shirt he was wearing under his jumper. If it weren�t for that Ron would have seen much more than what the shirt and his boxers covered.

�Yes Ron, I ate. I was just lacking the usual goodies that are usually sent to me, like birthday cake and homemade pies. Those things always came with letters, which I barely got any of. And as for the bruise, that was a going away present from Dudikins. Who would have thought the fat slob could get his foot up that high!�

�Blimey Harry, was he wearing steel toed boots!� Ron gasped.

�Very funny Ron. It�s nothing; don�t worry about it. It�s nothing I�m not used to from him. Summers over and I�m Dursley free �til next year.�

�I don�t think it�s nothing Harry. You just said your summer was the same, just boring and lonely. You should go to Dumbledore if what�s on your leg there is any indication of how your treated. And I don�t think your fine Harry, you�re too thin and you have dark circles under your eyes. I�m sure Hermione noticed too. To put it frankly you look like shite.�

Harry was infuriated. Why wouldn�t he just let the subject drop.

�RON, I�M FINE! Just so you know I have gone to Dumbledore and every time he sends me back, so I�ll get no help there. Leave it be already and come on, we�re almost to Hogsmeade and I�m sure the girls are finished by now.�

Ron decided to let the subject drop, for now.

�Okay Harry, if you say so.� He said as he followed him back to the compartment.

Althia could tell by the way Harry threw the door open and flopped into the seat beside her that he was upset; she could feel it. She looked to Hermione and saw a look of concern and worry on her face. As Ron stepped in they saw his slumped shoulders and downcast eyes. He sat by Hermione and didn�t say a word. What did he do? Althia thought to herself. She opened her mouth to ask just that but for once Hermione cut her off.

�Harry, are you alright?�

�UGH, yes �Mione I�m alright. Can�t anyone ask me ANYTHING besides that?� He replied sarcastically.

�HARRY, there�s no reason to be rude. I just worry about you and��

Harry had had enough. He knew his friends cared about him but the constant looks of worry and treating him like he might break at any moment had him irked. He was never so glad when he felt the train stop.

�Bloody Hell, how many times to I have to tell you two that I�m fine� he shouted as he shot out of his seat and headed toward the door. He turned and gave them both a hateful stare before finishing what he had to say.

�So why don�t you two listen to me this time. Try being the friends you say you are and not my guardians. Until you can, leave me the Hell ALONE!� With that said he turned and stomped out.

Frustrated, Hermione turned to Ron.

�Did you get him to tell you anything Ron? There�s something defiantly off about him. He�s not acting like himself at all.�

�NO �Mione, all he said was that he�s fine and ordered me to drop it. You should have seen the bruise on his leg; it�s quite nasty. I don�t know what his problem is.�

Althia sat and watched them discuss Harry like he was a project of some sort and grew angry. She had held her tongue long enough.

�You two don�t have a clue. You can�t see that his problem IS YOU! Neither of you know when to stop. You just keep trying to pry into his private life when he clearly doesn�t want to speak of it. I promise you this, when he�s ready he�ll talk, but not before! So I suggest you take his advice or loose him altogether.�

Ron and Hermione were taken aback at her statement. Hermione remained sitting while Ron jumped up from his seat.

�What would you know of it Althia? Like I told you before we know more about him than you, so why don�t YOU butt out!�

Althia just smiled at him as she rose from her seat. She stepped up to him and although she had to look up slightly, stared him in the eyes.

�Listen and listen well Weasley. It matters not that I just met Harry, I know more about him than you realize. If you won�t take his advice than you sure as Hell better heed my warning. You hurt him any further and you�ll have me to deal with, I am not one to be messed with. He is a boy, not a babe and should be treated as such. Until you realize that stay clear of him.�

As she spoke her voice became serious and icy. With her last statement she gave him a shove and left the compartment not giving either of them a chance to reply. She knew Harry couldn�t have gotten far and went to catch up to him before she lost him in the crowd of other students.

*********************************TBC***********************************
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Secrets and Truths