HEATHENS - Harry Potter ✔

CHAPTER TEN

As the weather got worse and worse, school got harder and harder, and though Kiera had always expected for work to preoccupy her from everything else, plenty of other things managed to cram themselves into her schedule. She had become better friends with Anthony Goldstein with whom she now did all her prefect's duties.

Harry had become extremely invested in the Half-Blood Prince's book, finding spells the anonymous ex-student had written in the margins, and trying them out on other students which always earned a very disapproving look from Hermione. In addition, he had also become convinced that Malfoy was a Death Eater and continuously brought it up during conversations.

Currently, however, he was glaring at Anthony Goldstein. Him, Hermione, and Ron stood by the wall in the third-floor corridor, waiting for Kiera as she talked to the Ravenclaw. Harry was gritting his teeth, eyes narrowing further as Kiera laughed, brushing her hand along Anthony's upper arm. Unbeknownst to him, Hermione wasn't watching the interaction at all, but studying his reaction out of the corner of her eye and grinning slightly. Ron was too preoccupied being grumpy about being ignored by Slughorn to really notice anything at all.

They watched as Kiera said goodbye and began toward them, waving to Anthony over her shoulder one last time. "Sorry about that," she said once she reached the trio. "You lot didn't have to wait."

"It's fine," said Hermione, still grinning. "Should we go then."

They all nodded (Harry very stiffly) and made their way toward the library for their free period.

"What did he want?" Harry asked.

Kiera, deciding to ignore the rude tone of his voice, said, "Just asked if I wanted to meet up for prefect duties later today."

Clenching his jaw, Harry asked, "What did you say?"

"That I would love to," she replied, as they began down the marble stairs.

"Of course, you did," said Harry sharply.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kiera said, her brow furrowed. "It's not like we had plans or anything."

"Well, what if we did?" he challenged. "Would just have cancelled them to go do prefect duties with Anthony?"

"... No, I wouldn't have, cause I'm not a rubbish friend," said Kiera, adding to herself under her breath, "unlike you right now."

*

In October, they had their first Hogsmeade weekend, however, the trip to the village was less than enjoyable. The mood turned gloomy even before they had left the castle with Filch thoroughly searching everyone with a Secrecy Sensor, and it was certainly not helped by the disastrous weather. Ron became quiet after they had bumped into Professor Slughorn in Honeydukes and he had been promptly ignored, and then Harry's mood turned angry when they spotted Mundungus Fletcher selling Sirius's old belongings outside of the Three Broomsticks.

Thankfully, he was stopped from strangling Mundungus by Tonks, whose mousy grey hair was wet with sleet. Mundungus had Disapparated instantly.

"Come back! Come back, you thieving little –!"

"There's no point, Harry," said Tonks monotonously. "He'll probably be in London by now. There's no point in yelling."

"He's nicked Sirius's stuff!" Harry continued, despite her words. "Nicked it!"