Unforgivable Promises (Snarry story)

Chapter 18

Back in Gryffindor Tower, Harry discovered his intuition was right. He stepped into the common room to hear one of the Fourth Years talking loudly to a group of Firsts.

"Of course it was Harry Potter who caught Malfoy. Did you see that one of them was a Hufflepuff? You guys are lucky you're Gryffindors. None of us would ever join You-Know-Who."

"That's enough," Harry stepped over to the group. "Everyone says that Slytherins are the dark wizards. And maybe they have more than their share. But bragging that Gryffindors don't get Marked is stupid and wrong. I know for a fact that at least one of us followed him in the last war." Everyone looked shocked at that revelation, but no one was going to argue with him. "I'm not saying I think someone here would ever do that, but it's not as simple as what house you're in. I'm not a prefect, and I can't make any rules, but I don't want to hear about anyone in this House bragging about what happened. We lost seven students today, and that's nothing to be happy about."

Across the room, Ron stood up and said, "Well, Harry, I am a prefect, and I can make a rule like that. But I won't. Anyone who needs to try to make the other houses feel bad about what happened in order to make themselves feel good doesn't belong in Gryffindor at all. That's not what we do."

Harry was impressed at his friend's strategy. Rules are broken, but he'd made it a matter of House pride now. He suspected there would be no need to discuss it further.

"You said that better than I could have, Ron," Harry said in private. "Thanks for backing me up."

"Any time, mate. I hadn't thought about it, but you're right. If we go around acting like we're above everyone else, it's just going to make problems."

"Yeah. I can't say I'm sorry to see them getting what they deserve, but I still feel bad that it had to happen. I'm sure they all had friends here. We shouldn't be gloating while everyone else is missing their house-mates."

Ron nodded. "Still," the redhead said. "It was fun listening to Hermione talk to Malfoy."

Harry chuckled. "He really had that coming, didn't he? Speaking of Hermione, where is she?" Harry could see the First Year girls in the common room, so she was not showing them the dorms.

"She ran off. Said she had to meet someone. I saw her talking to a boy from Hufflepuff before. I think she was meeting him for something."

"And you're okay with that?" Harry asked, grinning broadly.

"Sure, why not?" Ron grew worried. "Hey, you don't think she's in danger, do you? Someone getting revenge for getting their friend arrested?"

"Oh, no, that's not what I meant. I'm sure she's fine. She can take care of herself. And no one really knows she was involved with the whole thing."

Ron agreed, and said, "Speaking of that, Harry, I don't think it's a good idea for you to be alone in the halls any more. You said yourself that anyone could be angry about what happened. Not to mention that there are probably other supporters of You-Know-Who in the school."

"You're starting to think just like Professor Snape, you know. He said the same thing to me just before I came here."

"Normally, that would be a very disturbing thought. But I'm not going to think too much about it. I'm just going to be happy he agrees, so he can give you detention if you don't listen. I'd feel bad having to dock you points, you know. They're my points too."

Harry laughed. As much as he understood Snape's concerns, he had not liked the idea of bringing up the problem with his friends. There seemed something snobbish about asking friends to follow him around. They would do it, of course, but he hated asking.