บท 265: Bearable
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Harry stretched, brushing off the last bit of snow from his shoulders. "Well, that was an interesting start to the day," he said, grinning as he glanced around at the group sprawled on the ground. "But I think it's time we head back and grab some food. Eating is just as important as working out, after all."
Ginny, still catching her breath, managed a weak smile. "I'll second that. I'm starving."
The others nodded in agreement, a few of them groaning as they hauled themselves to their feet. Pansy, still dripping wet and shivering from her impromptu swim, shot Harry a glare but didn't argue. Even she couldn't deny that breakfast sounded like a good idea right about now.
As they approached the castle, the group began to scatter, each heading towards their respective dorms to change into dry clothes before breakfast. Harry, always practical, had already transfigured his clothes back into his school uniform with a casual flick of his wand. The others were insisting on taking hot shower first.
Ginny and Luna hung back, waiting for Harry. "Meet you in the Great Hall?" Ginny asked, adjusting her damp clothes.
Harry nodded. "Yeah, I'll be there in a few minutes. Just need to check on something first."
Luna gave him one of her usual smiles. "Don't take too long, Harry. The Wrackspurts might get to your food if you're late."
Harry chuckled, giving them a quick nod as Ginny and Luna headed off towards their respective dorms. Once they were out of sight, he called out softly, "Alright, Dobby, what's up?"
With a soft pop, Dobby appeared in front of him, eyes wide with a mixture of excitement and concern. "Dobby found something, Sir Potter," the house-elf said urgently, his small hands wringing together as he spoke.
Harry sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I've told you before, Dobby, just Harry is fine."
Dobby looked up at him, the worry in his eyes evident. "Dobby cannot just call you Harry, Sir Potter. You freed Dobby from the Malfoys! You gave Dobby a good place at Hogwarts. Dobby is eternally grateful!"
Harry shook his head, realizing this was a battle he wasn't going to win. "Alright, alright. Whatever makes you comfortable. But tell me after breakfast, Dobby. It's been a long morning already. I will call you later."
Dobby nodded eagerly, his large eyes still filled with loyalty and excitement. With a quick pop, he vanished, leaving Harry alone in the corridor. Making his way to the Great Hall, Harry found the large room almost deserted. Most students were likely still sleeping in, taking advantage of the weekend.
Today, his group had decided to sit at the Ravenclaw table, a change of scenery that seemed to suit them. They were already gathered there, fresh from their hot showers, looking much more relaxed after the impromptu swim Harry had subjected them to.
Harry slid into a seat between Ginny and Luna, grabbing a piece of toast from the platter in front of him. "Feeling warmer now?" he asked with a smirk, biting into the toast.
Pansy with a mock glare on her face, looked Harry. "You're lucky we didn't hex you for that little stunt."
Luna simply smiled. "It was refreshing. The water reminded me of the icy rivers in the mountains where the Moon Frogs sing during winter."
Harry chuckled, shaking his head at Luna's usual oddities. Across the table, Fred and George were already halfway through their meals, loudly recounting their version of the snowball fight to anyone who would listen.
"I swear, I've never seen a squid with such good aim," George was saying, his mouth half full of scrambled eggs. "If it ever decides to take up Quidditch, we're all in trouble."
"Maybe we should recruit it for the Gryffindor team," Fred added with a grin, "Think of the advantage!"
Tracey grinned, her voice dripping with mockery. "Maybe then you lot could actually beat our team."
Fred and George exchanged defeated looks, clearly not in the mood for a comeback. The conversation seemed to take a more solemn turn as Cho and Cedric joined in, their expressions reflecting a shared sentiment of frustration.
Cedric sighed, his voice carrying a note of resignation. "It's not even about strategy anymore. Harry catches the Snitch every time. It's like trying to win a game where the outcome's already decided."
Cho nodded in agreement, a hint of a smile playing on her lips despite the somber topic. "We've faced him enough to know. It's impossible to win when he's on the pitch."
Harry couldn't help but chuckle, a bit of modesty creeping into his usually confident demeanor. "I wouldn't say impossible. Just… highly improbable."
"Improbable, my foot," Fred muttered, half-joking, half-serious. "You've got some secret, and one day we'll figure it out."
Ginny laughed, shaking her head. "Good luck with that, Fred."
Tracey, leaning back in her chair, smirked at the Gryffindors' collective misery. "Face it, boys. You're just outmatched. Better start planning for next season."
George, never one to stay down for long, perked up a bit. "Oh, we've got plans, alright. Just you wait. We'll find a way to even the odds."
"Sure, sure," Tracey replied, her tone dismissive but playful. "I'm sure whatever you come up with will be… interesting."
As the conversation continued, the mood gradually lightened. The initial frustration about Quidditch losses faded into friendly banter and jokes, with everyone joining in.
Ginny, ever the competitor, couldn't resist teasing Harry a bit more. "So, Harry, any chance you're going to give us mere mortals a fighting chance next time? I might join next year you know."
Harry chuckled, shaking his head. "No promises, Ginny. But I'm always up for a good challenge. Just make sure you're ready for it."
Cedric sighed, leaning back in his chair. "We'll be ready. Even if it means a few sleepless nights figuring out how to counter your 'skills'."
As the breakfast crowd began to thin out, Harry glanced at his watch and realized they had spent more time at the table than he had intended. He stood up, stretching his arms casually. "Alright, everyone," he said, catching the group's attention. "I've got a study date with Ms. Greengrass. We'll take our leave."
Astoria, who had been quietly enjoying her meal, smiled as she reached for Harry's outstretched hand. With a gentle tug, she stood up beside him, her expression a blend of curiosity and apprehension. The two of them made their way out of the Great Hall, and Harry noticed a few amused glances from their friends as they left.
As they walked through the corridors, Astoria glanced up at Harry. "So, where exactly are we going to study?" she asked, a hint of suspicion in her voice.
Harry shot her a sideways smile, keeping the destination a surprise. "You'll see," he replied, his tone light.
Astoria's eyes narrowed slightly as they continued walking. The path felt familiar, and as they descended deeper into the dungeons, a sense of dread began to creep up on her. "Harry," she started, her voice carrying a note of warning, "don't tell me we're going to—"
Before she could finish, they arrived at a familiar door. Harry knocked twice, and with a creak, the door opened to reveal Professor Snape, who looked up from his desk. His sharp gaze fell on the two students standing in the doorway.
"What do I owe the pleasure, Mr. Potter?" Snape's tone was as dry as ever, his expression unreadable as he regarded them both.
Harry stepped forward with a polite nod. "Professor, I wanted to give Ms. Greengrass a private lesson. Would it be alright if we used the room?"
Snape's eyes shifted to Astoria, who looked like she was already regretting her decision to trust Harry. After a moment, Snape gave a slight nod, adjusting his cloak as he stood up from his chair. "I suppose I can take a break and eat something," he said, his voice calm. "You know what to do, Mr. Potter."
Harry nodded back, a faint smile on his lips. "Of course, sir. We'll clean up and lock the door as usual."
With that, Snape gave them one last glance before sweeping out of the room, his robes billowing behind him as he left. Once the door closed behind him, the room seemed a bit less intimidating, though the lingering smell of potions still hung in the air.
Astoria let out a sigh, clearly relieved that Snape hadn't given them a hard time. She turned to Harry with a half-smile. "You really couldn't have picked a different place, could you?"
Harry chuckled, shaking his head as he led her over to one of the tables. "You'll thank me later. Potions might not be your favorite, but it's important. Besides, I've got a few tricks up my sleeve to make it more interesting."
Astoria raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. She took a seat at the table, watching as Harry began setting up the ingredients they would need. Despite her initial reluctance, there was a small part of her that was curious to see what Harry had planned.
Harry worked efficiently, laying out the ingredients with a practiced hand. "Alright, we're going to start with something simple," he said, his tone casual as he explained the steps. "Once you get the hang of this, we'll move on to something more challenging."
Astoria nodded, following his instructions carefully. As they worked together, the atmosphere in the room became more relaxed, the earlier tension fading away. Harry's approach to teaching was straightforward, and he didn't waste time with unnecessary explanations. He pointed out the key details, correcting her when needed but also giving her the space to figure things out on her own.
After a while, Astoria found herself actually enjoying the process. Harry had a way of making even the most tedious tasks seem manageable, and his calm teaching helped her stay focused. She glanced over at him as they worked, appreciating the way he made everything seem so easy.
"Not bad, Greengrass," Harry said with a grin as she successfully completed the potion they had been working on. "You've got a good eye for detail."
Astoria smiled back, feeling a bit more confident. "Thanks, Harry. I guess Potions isn't as bad as I thought."
Harry chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "See? Told you it wasn't so bad. Just takes a bit of practice."
They continued working for a while longer, with Harry guiding her through a few more potions. By the time they were finished, Astoria felt a lot more comfortable with the subject than she had before. As they cleaned up the workspace, she couldn't help but feel grateful that Harry had taken the time to help her.
Once everything was in order, Harry locked the door behind them as they left the classroom. "Thanks for the help, Harry," Astoria said as they walked down the corridor. "I actually feel like I learned something today."
Harry shrugged with a smile. "No problem. I'm glad I could help."
As they made their way back to the main part of the castle, Astoria couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe, Potions wouldn't be so dreadful after all—especially with Harry around to make it more bearable.
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