“Please tell me you aren’t going.” Hermione snapped, showing him her matching invitation as he entered the common room late the next day, “I heard he collects students to use for personal favors in the future.”
“Dumbledore wants me to pick Slughorn’s mind about Tom. I don’t have a choice.” Harry said quietly with a shrug, tugging her to a corner and casting a silencing spell, “Do you know anyone else who got invited?”
“Not from our house, I saw a few Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs with envelopes at dinner yesterday.”
“Guess we will have to see once we get there. How caught up are you on Wizard manners?”
“Ignoring the boys in our year fairly well. I don’t have all the phrases down, but it’s very close to Victorian England manners.”
“I had a refresher course this summer, so follow my lead if you get stuck.”
“Should I even be surprised?” Hermione asked with a sigh, “Something else you learned this summer?”
“I finally received the education I should have been given if I grew up in a normal wizarding home,” Harry said flatly, ignoring the dig.
“I know, and that is wonderful, but I feel like I don’t have a place with you anymore." she confessed softly, twisting a lock of her thick hair, “I was the one you went to for answers, and now you don’t need that.”
“You are still the smartest person I know, Hermione, that hasn’t changed. Nor has the fact that you are a good friend and someone I rely on. It just means our roles have changed; we are more even than we were before.”
“I feel like you are leaving me behind,” Hermione repeated.
“You’ll catch up this summer when you come visit. I promise.” Harry said soothingly, knowing she would only fall more behind and having no way to explain that wouldn’t push her further away or straight to his enemies. He was doing this to keep them safe.
“Alright,” she said, wiping her eyes, “what do we need to do about Slughorn?”
“There isn’t much we can do. He trades information for favors. We aren’t going to find out anything for free.”
“What could we offer then?”
“I doubt he would be willing to go into hiding; he was before, and Dumbledore found him and forced him to come to teach. There’s a rumor going around that he dangled the Boy Who Lived, owing him a favor to do it.” Harry said, meeting her eyes with a tired look.
“It would fit for the Headmaster to do it.” Hermione sighed, “I don’t want you owing the man a debt.”
“It would have to be worded very carefully if I did.” Harry agreed, heaving a sigh, “And he’s the ultimate Slytherin, he’d be determined to have it worded to his advantage. He at least wants to get something for me, so he’s going to keep seeking me out even if I refuse.”
“Let’s talk about something else, are you going to the apothecary this Saturday? The meeting with Slughorn is that afternoon. Will you still have time?”
“I’m heading out first thing; there should be plenty of time.”
“Who is escorting you?”
“I have a note saying I’m allowed in the village, McGonagall made an exception. It’s not like my permission slips are ever signed." he said, shrugging, “Have you considered taking the international O.W.Ls or N.E.W.T.s?”
“Yes, but they’re rather expensive. The ministry charges a lot to have the examiners come in and tax foreign examiners, so very few schools offer the chance.” She complained, “I’m tempted to take them independently one summer.”
“If I get the chance, I think I’d like to do an apprenticeship, but they seem to rely on international O.W.L.s.," he said with a smile, “I might try studying this summer to take them once everything is over.”
“Is it ever really over? We seem to bounce from one crisis to another here at Hogwarts.”
“That’s kind of my normal, Hermione, I’m not sure what I’d do if we had a normal year.” Harry said, smirking, “What if you had nothing to research? Nothing to hunt down or learn?”
“You’re right, it would be boring." she agreed, laughing, “What do you want me to research? How can I help outside of Slughorn?”
“I have others working on battle strategies and troop formations, healing and runic protections, potions, dueling, the politics, and the Aurors. My main issue is trying to track the death eaters. I just don’t have the time to figure it out.”
“What are you thinking?”
“The dark mark can be detected with magic if you know what to look for. The goblins have alarms that trigger when a death eater enters certain areas if they have a mark. We should be able to use the same principle to track where they are going through the floo or even using something like the map, but I can’t see how.”
“That’s going to take some work,” she mused, mind already spinning through what she would need to research, “when do you want it?”
“By this summer, if possible, I hope to have some extra time on my hands,” Harry said with a teasing grin.
“I hate you at times.” Hermione sighed, “I will master occlumency.”
“Good, I need you working at it hard.” Harry said, nodding, “I don’t like keeping secrets from you or the others.”
“At least you are learning to delegate,” she offered, smirking, “You can’t do everything yourself.”
“I’m learning that,” Harry laughed.
****
Harry escorted Hermione to the dungeon room where Slughorn was having his event. A mix of students from every house wandered the room, nibbling at the snacks and several types of punch provided. Slughorn glided about the room, happily introducing everyone and dropping hints on how important they were to each other.
“Ah! Mister Potter, Miss Granger, thank you both for coming," he said, giving a slight bow from one head of House to another, which Harry automatically gave the same back, making the Professor blink in delight.
“Thank you for inviting us, Lord Slughorn,” Harry said, giving the man a polite, if stiff, smile as he beamed in response, Hermione dropping a shallow curtsey.
“Tosh, call me Horace. We are all equals in this room, tomorrow, we can go back to being professors and students, but for now, please enjoy yourselves.”
“Of course,” Harry said with a nod, leading Hermione to the snack table.
“What did I miss in that exchange? Did you give something away?" she murmured, glancing back at Slughorn, who was all but bouncing.
“I gave the correct bow from one Head of House to another. He didn’t think I knew my rank or correct manners.” Harry replied softly, “Dumbledore probably said I would need tutoring or something to get him here. Now he’s one up on the headmaster.”
“Isn’t that playing your hand too soon?”
“He needs to know I have something to offer,” Harry said with a shrug, “Care to mingle?”
“It is what we came to do,” she said, primly linking their arms and nodding to the first group of idling teens.
There were only about ten people in all, nearly everyone had someone famous in their family or was known to be an up-and-coming person of interest in the magical world. Slughorn enjoyed grooming his club members for greatness.
Neville Longbottom stood talking to Marcus Belby to one side, so Harry guided Hermione towards Flora and Hestia Carrow, seventh-year twins. They watched the room, keeping silent unless someone approached.
“Pleasure to see you both,” Harry said, giving the correct bow for an older peer, the girls responded with a curtsey and light hand position, showing it was to a lesser acquaintance.
“I wasn’t aware you were part of Slughorn’s club.” Flora said, eye flicking over them in a rapid assessment, “Have you teased out the game yet?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Hermione asked, raising a brow, “Slughorn raises his status by being the first to recognize budding talents and helping them rise to positions of power.”
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“Belby was a poor choice; his grandfather is a potions master, but they are not on good terms at the moment. Marcus himself doesn’t have the same skill level or ambition.” Hestia chimed in with a polite smile.
“And yourselves?” Harry asked, giving them his own once over, “What rank do you hope to hold once you graduate? Beyond being a member of the Sacred Twenty-Eight? Mister Longbottom shares that pleasure as well.”
“Longbottom is a known Herbology prodigy; he is in line to take over Professor Sprout’s role when she retires.” Flora said with a sniff, “And why should we fill in any blanks for you? If you are going to play, you need to know all your opponents.”
“It may be a competition. However, I would say we are all trying for different positions,” Hermione said carefully.
“Very true, at least of those in this room.” Hestia agreed, sipping at her punch, “What would you see your worth as, Potter?”
“I thought we weren’t sharing our advantages?” Harry asked with a teasing smile, “I would like to think I have much to offer, but in the end, my advantages are from birth and bad timing. I can only hope if I survive to graduate that, I’ll be able to continue my magical education under calmer conditions.”
“You don’t plan to use those advantages?”
“Everyone is forced to use their privileges of birth at times.” Harry said with a grimace, “I can only hope I rise above those advantages of my abilities.”
“Well said, Potter.” Flora said, giving him a toast with her glass, “Longbottom is lacking a conversational partner if you wish to speak with him.”
“Thank you for the invigorating discussion, ladies," he said, tendering another bow and Hermione offering a curtsey.
“Lord Potter, Miss Granger," they said in unison with an elegant curtsey.
“Harry, Hermione.” Neville said with a relieved grin as they approached, “I wasn’t sure if you were invited or not.”
“We haven’t had much time to talk lately.” Harry agreed, frowning, “Have you discussed the communication options with Hermione yet?”
“No, what are you thinking?”
“Matched journals or a bracelet letting us send short messages.” Hermione said, “There are a few magical charms, but they are hard to cast and rather obvious that you’re receiving a message.”
“Was Luna not invited?” Harry asked to change the topic as a few others drifted past with stiff, polite smiles.
“She declined to attend. Her mother was a famous spell crafter, but she doesn’t like to remember her as such, given her death was caused by a misfired spell.”
“How awful,” Hermione murmured, “I didn’t realize she’s never said anything.”
“She doesn’t speak of it.” Neville offered with a shrug, “I did offer to escort her, but she was adamant.”
“I doubt she would have enjoyed it; she’s not one for discussions of rank and position.” Harry said, “Have you been to many of these events?”
“This is the first for Slughorn, but I’ve been to enough dinner parties that are similar to my grandmother. At least at this one, the conversation is mostly polite.”
“Do you have plans for this summer, Neville?” Hermione asked as Slughorn passed by, “Weren’t you thinking of taking an apprenticeship with Sprout once you graduate?”
“I’ve been speaking with a few international gardens as well, and some take interns or short-term apprentices over the summers. Now that the family greenhouses are turning a profit, Gran has agreed to allow a proper staff. I’ll be free to travel a bit this summer.”
“That is wonderful news.” Harry agreed with a grin, “Keep a week or two open if you can, I’d like to get a few of us together for a few days.”
“Are you traveling again this holiday, Hermione? Wasn’t the last trip to France?”
“Yes, the wizarding areas there are fascinating.” Hermione said happily, taking up the conversation until Slughorn had moved on to another group, turning to Harry, “Are you hoping to corner Slughorn after the party?”
“I think so, would it be weird to stay to help clean up?”
“Probably, but if you offer it as a chance to talk alone, he may take you up on it." she said with a shrug, “We should probably mingle more,”
“Might as well make the best of it, at least the food is good,” Neville muttered with a sigh, moving off to refresh his cup of punch.
They wandered the party until people started to leave as curfew neared. Neville escorted Hermione off as one of the last few guests, leaving him and Slughorn alone. It didn’t take long for the older man to get to the point.
“So, tell me, has our esteemed headmaster given you a task tonight?” Slughorn asked pointedly while vanishing rubbish from the tables the elves had cleared.
“You are not wrong,” Harry agreed with a wry grin, “However, he rarely shares the information he gathers. I’m looking to trade information for information.”
“The headmaster is on his way out,” Slughorn chuckled, pouring them both a mug of ale, “Will what I share go back to him? Excellent honey ale a colleague of mine sent over.”
“Only the one item he requested, the rest would stay with me or my allies,” Harry said, frowning at the slight tingle from his bracelet, was Slughorn trying to potion him?
“Allies? You have been a busy boy. The headmaster has been quite diligent in offering me chances to expand my education with little to show for it. Would you say it was needed?”
“I may not be the completely naive the headmaster believes me to be, but I still have a lot to learn when it comes to politics and magical culture.”
“One never ceases to learn when it comes to politics and human nature." he said with a cough, “I don’t remember this having quite the after-bite to it. Must be a bad batch.”
“Who sent the ale?” Harry asked uncertainly as Slughorn flopped into a nearby chair.
“A former student, much like yourself.” Slughorn said, waiving away the question, “What were we discussing?”
“Information, I think someone is trying to poison you.” Harry said, pulling out his bezoar and shoving it into Slughorn’s hand, “My detection bracelet is tingling when I touch the mug.”
“Nonsense, waste of an ingredient.” The man said, loosening his tie as he started to sweat heavily.
“Then it is mine to waste. Please, sir, take it.”
“Why,” Slughorn wavered, falling from his chair with a crash, Harry snatched the bezoar, stuffing it in the professor’s mouth over his slurred protests.
“I refuse to let you die on me, sir, not before our agreement is completed.” Harry muttered sarcastically, glancing about the room, “Tips?”
“How can Tips help?” The house elf asked, popping in.
“Please tell Poppy to come here now, Slughorn has been poisoned.”
“Tips will do.” The elf said, popping away.
“We will need to have a long discussion eventually,” Slughorn said, slowly pulling himself back into the chair with a hiss.
“Eventually,” Harry agreed easily, “The headmaster wants to know what you told Tom Riddle that you haven’t shared with anyone else.”
“Riddle?” Slughorn asked with a startled blink, “A fine student and well placed to take a high position in the government, instead, he gave it all up and eventually disappeared. No one knows what became of him.”
“He didn’t disappear, he became someone else. What did you tell him? He would have asked about something rare, been insistent about it.”
“One of the last times we spoke, he asked about old Egyptian rituals, creating objects to prevent death.”
“What are they called?” Harry asked, needing him to name it himself since there was the chance of Dumbledore listening in, rare as it was.
“Horcruxes, evil things, a way to cheat death by dividing the soul,” Slughorn said with a shudder, falling silent as Poppy hurried into the room.
“What has happened?” Poppy demanded, already casting detection spells.
“A bad batch of ale, Mister Potter was prompt with his bezoar.”
“It is nearly curfew, will you be alright?” Harry asked, edging closer to the door.
“Go, we will speak later,” Slughorn said, waiving him on.
“Thank you, sir,” Harry said with a nod.
Harry headed back to the Gryffindor common room, not bothering to try and catch the headmaster. He could confirm his suspicions tomorrow. It wasn’t like he didn’t already know about the Horcruxes, he just wanted a reason to drag Harry further into the hunt. The fact that Harry wasn’t as ill-informed this year was all adding to the headmaster’s eventual downfall.
Dumbledore’s push to have Harry come to meetings to share information about Voldemort was nothing more than a waste of time when, in a single night, he could have explained the reason behind Voldemort’s immortality and the current plan to destroy them. Instead, he was dragging it on, sharing one memory every few weeks and not bothering to give Harry any real context to what the Order was doing to combat Voldemort or use the Headmaster’s many positions to steer the Wizarding Government away from the very controlling views that caused this situation in the first place.
Why was everyone just waiting around for a teenager to save them, Harry thought with disgust. He would meet with Slughorn again tomorrow and then send a note to the Headmaster to meet with him that night. The man might have a few connections he was willing to share to get a safe house that not even the Headmaster knew about. Once they made it through this year, it would be safe to push forward with his plans more firmly, but for now, he just had to be patient and wait for Dumbledore and Voldemort to expose themselves to the world.
****
“Excuse me, Ladies,” Harry said, waiting for the other students to pass by, “Do you have a moment to discuss our group project in Runes?”
“We will be right with you, Hestia,” Flora murmured, waving her sister on when she made to wait for them. “What do you require, Potter?”
“We need to schedule times to work together on the project. What slots do you have available? I’m free today after the break and Tuesday after lunch. Unless you would like to meet after class.” Harry offered mildly, giving them the option of choosing a safe space for the meeting or somewhere more public.
“Are you aware of the private study rooms on the second level of the library?”
“I have not used them myself,” Harry said, simply waiting.
“Meet us there Tuesday after lunch, if you can’t find the room, send a note with a house elf, and we will find you.”
“Very well, I will see you then to discuss our project.” He agreed, giving a nod and striding away without looking back, they didn’t need more eyes following his movements along with theirs.
“You wished to speak with us, Potter?”
“We have a mutual acquaintance who wished to make sure you were aware of possible support within the school. Lord Thorburn has asked that I provide support or haven if you require it.”
“And why would we trust the word of a Gryffindor?”
“You shouldn’t,” Harry snorted, setting a folded piece of parchment on the table, “this is a list of safe rooms Hogwarts has supplied for attacks against the school in previous wars. Press the Algiz runes by the door, and they will seal. You will be safe and can call on the Hogwarts or Thorburn elves should you require medical assistance or an escape. No one will be allowed in or out without assistance from those holding the school wards. I’ve included the letter Lord Thorburn wrote to request my assistance in the folder. I will be informing Tracey Davis of the same rooms as her family is part of an alliance with Lord Thorburn.”
“Is that all?” Hestia snapped, folding her arms with a scowl.
“What runes are you planning to study for the project? I’ll start researching in the general library. We can meet with Hermione after the next class to discuss any further project details.”
“We will each take a separate rune to study. The project is to make them work together as a runic spell. We know Elder Futhark best and will be using that set.”
“Then we will discuss potential rune combinations when we meet.” Harry agreed, turning away, “I’ll see you in class.”
“That’s it, Potter?” Hestia scoffed, “No rants about the dark lord or monologues to defend Dumbledore?”
“I leave the monologues to those in the open.” Harry said flatly, “I support Lord Thorburn and his ideals. I have never openly supported Dumbledore and his Order. I disagree with how both sides of this war are dealing with the issues our community faces.”
“That’s it?” Flora asked as he turned back to the door, “You won’t take a side?”
“I never said that, I simply don’t believe that those two sides have anyone’s best interests at heart, especially when it comes to the health of our world and our magic. And as for the rune I wish to study, I plan to select Ansuz.”