𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐎𝐑 - A Harry Potter Fanfic

𝟰 - Expecto Patronum

"You can put that on the bottom shelf." Hill pointed at a slimy-looking glass jar. It had fallen on the floor from the explosion but was then magically floating a few inches from the ground.

Harry nodded and shuffled over, picking up the jar with his slender arms. Hill looked at him as he lifted it to his face with curiosity. The jar was scummy and foggy; the boy started wiping the surface with his sleeve to get a better look at what was inside.

"...Hill? What are these?!" He immediately pulled his face away from the jar, his nose scrunching up with panic in his voice, "Are they... slugs?"

Hill tried to stifle away a laugh, "I guess so, were you hoping for candies?"

The boy's pale face flushed pink out of embarrassment, "I... I didn't think..."

"It's fine, I get that you are curious," She gently took the jar from his hands and bent down to place it in the shelf, "Thank god it didn't break, can you imagine all these things on the floor? I would make you pick them up."

She turned around and saw the boy nervously pulling on the corner of his shirt. His lips moved and a stutter came out, "I, I-"

"Harry," Hill sighed, "I'm just joking. You don't have to be so tense, okay?"

There was another minute of silence as the boy nodded slowly. He then went on with pulling down more jars that floated in the air.

The boy had turned his back on her and was fiddling with the containers. Hill looked at his scrawny hands as they struggled with the weight of the jars. She suddenly had the urge of taking the little boy and bringing him somewhere he would never come in contact with magic. He would face so much hardship in his future. He would witness the deaths of his friends and people he held dear to. Harry was just a boy who wanted to be loved; he was just a boy who longed to see his parents again.

He never chose to become 'the boy who lived'.

"I do want to tell you more," She murmured, her voice shaky, "I do, Harry."

The boy spun around and looked at her, his green eyes even more sparkly against the reflection of his glasses.

"It's just... I'm afraid that I'll tell you the wrong information," Hill decided to tell him a half-truth, "When the time comes, someone will answer all your questions...your parents...and what holds in your future."

The boy lowered his head as he bit his lip as if debating whether to accept that answer. One of his hands rested on the table and his finger scratched its surface back and forth. He seemed to realize what he was doing and quickly pulled back his hand. He then spoke in a small but firm voice.

"You promise?"

Hill couldn't promise anything. She was not even sure about her own fate, let along Harry's. She wanted to tell him that. Instead, even though the boy could not see through the scarf that covered her face, she smiled. She crouched down and looked straight into his eyes.

"I promise," She said softly.

Harry grinned, his mouth stretched wide on his young face, showing a roll of small teeth. It was the first time Hill had seen him smile, and when the boy did that he looked like a bright, little star.

"Thank you, Hill."

She nodded at him and stood up, "Well, let's continue, shall we?"

The boy started sorting out the small jars and bottles again. He did it faster and was more energetic. Hill was happy to see that he had lifted the weight off his chest.

"Hill, how did you know about me?" Harry broke the silence after a while. He had placed the last bottle on the shelf and clumsily jumped down from a bench, wiping his hands on his pants.