Dunderhead - A Harry Potter story: Snape becomes Harry's mentor

Chapter 11: BREAKFAST

The next morning Harry packed the Occlumency book in his school bag, along with the books that he needed for his subjects for that day. Harry was ready to leave the dormitory to follow Ron when he nearly skidded and fell on a thin grey book. He realised that it must have fallen out of his bag the night before when he had thrown it unceremoniously onto the floor. Upon picking it up, Harry recognised it as belonging to the girl he had met yesterday evening on the stairs. Harry put it in his bag too. He hoped that he would have a chance to give it back to her in the Great Hall at breakfast.

"Harry, are you coming?" Hermione's voice floated up the stairs.

"Yeah, I'm here." Harry shouted back, hurrying down the dormitory steps to greet his friends.

Ron stood near the portrait hole door looking impatient. He opened him mouth to say something but yawned at at Harry instead. Ron frowned when he say Harry hoisting his bag onto his shoulder. 

"What're you bringing that for? We can come back after breakfast to collect our books!" He said, sounding as if the threat of lessons being introduced during breakfast was making him feel slightly ill.

"I need to give a book back to someone," Harry said apologetically, "And... I might look over another one at breakfast too." He added, thinking of his Occlumency book. Harry said this second part very quietly, knowing what his friend's responses would be, and wanting to get their reactions over with.

Sure enough, Ron's anticipated cry of disbelief was followed by: "What, you're reading at breakfast?"

Hermione, equally predictable in her response, snapped at Ron. "For goodness sake, Harry can read during breakfast if he wants to. I think it's a very good thing, Harry." She said approvingly. She left through the portrait door before either boy could reply. 

Ron shrugged at Harry but grinned. "Promise me this is a one off?" He nudged. 

Harry nodded: "Don't worry, Hermione hasn't cloned me." He smiled lightly at the thought and Ron chuckled as he helped Harry to straighten the strap of his bag over his shoulder.

"Hope there's sausages." Ron commented, to which Harry snorted, feeling unusually cheerful despite his late night and somewhat traumatic experience the evening before.

It did not occur to him that an emotional burden had been relieved from last night's outburst.

-

When Harry and Ron sat down next to Hermione at the Gryffindor table, Harry looked up and down the table fleetingly, but he could not see Mint. He scanned the rest of the hall and, though it took a while to check the Ravenclaw and Huffelpuff tables, he could not see the girl. Feeling slightly apprehensive now, Harry reluctantly turned his attention towards the Slytherin table where he saw Draco Malfoy talking with Pansy Parkinson, Crabbe and Goyle. Harry felt his usual distaste that he always did when he saw the Slytherin group. However, the feeling of apprehension left Harry when he assured himself that Mint was not present at the long table there either.

"Are you looking for someone?" A voice buzzed near Harry's ear. He turned to face its source. Ginny Weasley had taken the vacant seat opposite him and was looking at him with an amused expression.

"I was just looking for someone to return a book to. I brought it in my bag." He told her.

Ginny looked surprised. "Someone lent you a book but you don't know who they are?" She grinned at him. "I saw you scanning the tables", she said. "Don't you know their Hogwart's house?" 

"Uh, no." Harry admitted. "But I thought she might be in Ravenclaw if not our house. She had that sort of serious look, y'know? Like she studies a lot."