Targeted 12
Title: Targeted 12
Author: enchanted_jae
Characters: Harry, Ron, Neville
Rating: PG
Warning(s): None
Word count: 850
Disclaimer: Characters are the property of JK Rowling, et al. This was written for fun, not for profit.
Written for: Birthday gift for citrus_lime, who asked for an update to any verse.
Summary: Harry gets Ron's take on the list of those targeted.
Harry slid the piece of parchment across the desk to his friend.
Ron picked it up and looked at it. "This is a list of the targeted Death Eaters," he said.
"What do they have in common?" Harry asked him.
Ron looked the list over again. "They were all in Slytherin," he pronounced. "That's not surprising." He glanced up at Harry again. "There's more, isn't there?"
Harry nodded. "What else do they have in common?" he prodded.
It took a moment, but Ron finally said, "We went to school with all of them. Some were older or younger, but we knew all of them."
"Exactly," said Harry.
"Do you reckon it was someone we went to Hogwarts with?" Ron asked him, sitting back and rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Who would still harbor that much hatred?"
"You, for one," Harry said, keeping his tone even.
Ron gaped at him in shock. Inexplicably, he laughed. "Mate, if I wanted to murder everyone who caused me and my family grief during the War, I would have started with Percy."
A reluctant smile tugged at Harry's lips. "I didn't believe it was you," he said, "but we can't dismiss anyone we know, simply because we think we know them."
"You're thinking of someone, aren't you?" Ron questioned.
Harry drummed his fingers on the desk before speaking. "I'm afraid it could be Neville," he admitted.
To his credit, Ron didn't immediately leap to Neville's defense. "If Neville wanted anyone dead, it would have been Bellatrix," he stated.
"Your mum took care of that for him," said Harry.
Ron winced. "Never knew she had it in her," he said. "None of us talk back to her like we used to," he confessed.
Harry chuckled at that. It felt good. Not much made him laugh any more. As if his job as a Ministry assassin wasn't stressful enough, harboring Draco Malfoy in his personal safe house only added to his unease. Malfoy spent his time either bitching about being held prisoner or hell-bent on destroying Harry's peace of mind by flirting with him at every opportunity. If it weren't for the need to keep an eye on his guest, Harry would avoid his safe house altogether.
"Could it be an in-House rivalry?" Ron was asking.
Harry gave himself a mental shake and refocused on his friend. "That's an interesting theory," he said. "I don't know as that anyone has considered it before. Why don't you question Nott," he suggested. Harry fully intended to question Malfoy later, although Malfoy had been reluctant to impart much information so far. Harry wondered if he was protecting someone.
"I'll go speak to Nott," Ron confirmed. "I hear he was released this morning. In the meantime, you go talk to Neville and feel him out a bit. I find it hard to believe he'd be involved, but I agree that we can't overlook anything or anyone."
Harry and Ron parted ways with plans to meet after lunch. Harry went to the Janus Thickey ward at St Mungo's to find Neville. He didn't see his friend, so he took a seat in the waiting room in hopes that Neville would show up. Not long after, Neville and Padma emerged from Pavarti's room. Harry had planned to speak to Neville alone, but not wishing to be rude, he invited both of them to join him for lunch. Padma declined, and she brushed a quick kiss across Neville's lips before leaving.
Harry smiled at his friend, and Neville responded with a sheepish grin and a blush. They walked to the bistro near the hospital and settled at a table. "I get the impression this isn't merely a social call," Neville said over a butterbeer.
Harry shook his head. "I'm still trying to work out who may be targeting reformed Death Eaters," he said.
"And you think I would know?!" Neville asked in surprise.
"Of course not," Harry said. "However, I wanted to run a few things by you and get your take. You've always been observant, and maybe something will come to you." At Neville's nod, Harry imparted what information he could. "Those killed were all Slytherins, and each of them went to Hogwarts at the same time as we did."
"So you think it may be someone we went to school with?" guessed Neville.
"Yes," Harry replied. "The question is, who?"
Neville took a moment before speaking again. "A lot of people had reason to dislike that particular group of Slytherins," he said. "You, foremost among them."
"I'll move myself to the top of the suspect list," Harry said drily.
Neville chuckled. "What I'm trying to say is, most of us ran afoul of the Slytherins at one point or another. It wasn't just Gryffindor," he added. "The Slytherins weren't particular about whom they tormented."
Before Harry could respond, Ron's Patronus scampered up. "Harry," it spoke in Ron's voice. "I need you at St Mungo's right away!"
~tbc~
Targeted 13
Author: enchanted_jae
Characters: Harry, Ron, Neville
Rating: PG
Warning(s): None
Word count: 850
Disclaimer: Characters are the property of JK Rowling, et al. This was written for fun, not for profit.
Written for: Birthday gift for citrus_lime, who asked for an update to any verse.
Summary: Harry gets Ron's take on the list of those targeted.
Harry slid the piece of parchment across the desk to his friend.
Ron picked it up and looked at it. "This is a list of the targeted Death Eaters," he said.
"What do they have in common?" Harry asked him.
Ron looked the list over again. "They were all in Slytherin," he pronounced. "That's not surprising." He glanced up at Harry again. "There's more, isn't there?"
Harry nodded. "What else do they have in common?" he prodded.
It took a moment, but Ron finally said, "We went to school with all of them. Some were older or younger, but we knew all of them."
"Exactly," said Harry.
"Do you reckon it was someone we went to Hogwarts with?" Ron asked him, sitting back and rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Who would still harbor that much hatred?"
"You, for one," Harry said, keeping his tone even.
Ron gaped at him in shock. Inexplicably, he laughed. "Mate, if I wanted to murder everyone who caused me and my family grief during the War, I would have started with Percy."
A reluctant smile tugged at Harry's lips. "I didn't believe it was you," he said, "but we can't dismiss anyone we know, simply because we think we know them."
"You're thinking of someone, aren't you?" Ron questioned.
Harry drummed his fingers on the desk before speaking. "I'm afraid it could be Neville," he admitted.
To his credit, Ron didn't immediately leap to Neville's defense. "If Neville wanted anyone dead, it would have been Bellatrix," he stated.
"Your mum took care of that for him," said Harry.
Ron winced. "Never knew she had it in her," he said. "None of us talk back to her like we used to," he confessed.
Harry chuckled at that. It felt good. Not much made him laugh any more. As if his job as a Ministry assassin wasn't stressful enough, harboring Draco Malfoy in his personal safe house only added to his unease. Malfoy spent his time either bitching about being held prisoner or hell-bent on destroying Harry's peace of mind by flirting with him at every opportunity. If it weren't for the need to keep an eye on his guest, Harry would avoid his safe house altogether.
"Could it be an in-House rivalry?" Ron was asking.
Harry gave himself a mental shake and refocused on his friend. "That's an interesting theory," he said. "I don't know as that anyone has considered it before. Why don't you question Nott," he suggested. Harry fully intended to question Malfoy later, although Malfoy had been reluctant to impart much information so far. Harry wondered if he was protecting someone.
"I'll go speak to Nott," Ron confirmed. "I hear he was released this morning. In the meantime, you go talk to Neville and feel him out a bit. I find it hard to believe he'd be involved, but I agree that we can't overlook anything or anyone."
Harry and Ron parted ways with plans to meet after lunch. Harry went to the Janus Thickey ward at St Mungo's to find Neville. He didn't see his friend, so he took a seat in the waiting room in hopes that Neville would show up. Not long after, Neville and Padma emerged from Pavarti's room. Harry had planned to speak to Neville alone, but not wishing to be rude, he invited both of them to join him for lunch. Padma declined, and she brushed a quick kiss across Neville's lips before leaving.
Harry smiled at his friend, and Neville responded with a sheepish grin and a blush. They walked to the bistro near the hospital and settled at a table. "I get the impression this isn't merely a social call," Neville said over a butterbeer.
Harry shook his head. "I'm still trying to work out who may be targeting reformed Death Eaters," he said.
"And you think I would know?!" Neville asked in surprise.
"Of course not," Harry said. "However, I wanted to run a few things by you and get your take. You've always been observant, and maybe something will come to you." At Neville's nod, Harry imparted what information he could. "Those killed were all Slytherins, and each of them went to Hogwarts at the same time as we did."
"So you think it may be someone we went to school with?" guessed Neville.
"Yes," Harry replied. "The question is, who?"
Neville took a moment before speaking again. "A lot of people had reason to dislike that particular group of Slytherins," he said. "You, foremost among them."
"I'll move myself to the top of the suspect list," Harry said drily.
Neville chuckled. "What I'm trying to say is, most of us ran afoul of the Slytherins at one point or another. It wasn't just Gryffindor," he added. "The Slytherins weren't particular about whom they tormented."
Before Harry could respond, Ron's Patronus scampered up. "Harry," it spoke in Ron's voice. "I need you at St Mungo's right away!"
~tbc~
Targeted 13