𝐖𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐔𝐏 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋

Chapter 6

Harry knew that sooner or later he had to answer to the question: "What is this?" asked by no other but a very curious Draco Malfoy who would walk in the meantime around a black box, feeling the smooth surface of it's screen against his finger, almost afraid, holding off in case the box would suddenly stand up and eat him. Draco was, if Harry wanted to use a metaphor, like some kind of wild animal coming in contact with some kind of unidentified object.

Yeah, Harry thought, a wild animal.

A monkey, to be exact.

And Harry would have laughed at the mere image in his head if he wasn't absolutely, totally, without any trace of doubt… late. His Auror duties were waiting impatiently for him and for once even Ron would scold him for preferring monkey-watching to his job that -should Ron remind him again?- Harry loved so much?

Harry thought that being told off by Ron Weasley wasn't something to be proud of. Not that he will tell his friend that, of course…

"So?" the monkey was impatient too, it seemed.

"It's a television…" Harry sighed.

"Enlightening…"

Harry sighed again. Louder.

"Okay, err…" Harry started. "Push the button… yeah, that one…"

As soon as Draco did what was told someone started to scream from inside the little box. Draco clutched his heart and almost tripped on the couch behind him as he watched with horrified eyes a woman screaming her lungs out. A shadow, knife in hand, dirty with blood, was approaching her… slowly…

"What the hell, Potter!" Draco shouted, "They are going to kill her! Do something!"

Harry sighed and took the remote control lying almost casually on the TV set and pushed another button. Draco watched fascinated as the terrified woman changed in two men talking relaxed to each other.

"How did you…" Draco said touching the screen. "Are there people in there?"

"Malfoy…" Harry tried, pushing the remote control in Draco's hands. "The woman before wasn't real. Well, she was but… she wasn't being killed for real. That it's called a movie! She was just an actress…

"People don't live in the television. It's a little hard to explain but the things you see in this black box here are just images recorded in a studio…"

Draco just blinked at him. Harry should have known that 'movie' and 'actress' as well as 'television studio' were not words that could be found easily in Draco's dictionary. He needed time to explain everything to Draco and he didn't have any in that moment.

Harry could almost see the disapproving looks Shaklebolt was going to throw at him. He had to leave, now, but knowing that Draco wouldn't let him go without some kind of enlightenment he started:

"Well, pushing these buttons here you change channels… yes, those. Changing channels you can find the programs you like. If thrillers, like that with the woman, are not your thing just… thrillers… no, it's not some kind of food… no, it's were… well, they mostly kill and do… stuff in this kind of movies… but… well, as I was saying you can change the… remember whatever movie are you going to see is not real… no one dies, don't worry. If you are watching the news then the things you are going to see are probably real… or not. I don't know, sometimes they stretch the truth too much… what? News! There's a man or woman talking and talking and talking… there are the talk shows, but…" Harry glanced at the clock on the fireplace and cursed. "Sorry, I'll come back tonight to answer your questions! Have fun!"

'Pop'.

Draco blinked at the spot Harry had been standing not a minute before. Okay, he had to admit he didn't understand a thing Potter tried to say. Draco should have remembered, when asking Potter's help, that the man wasn't as bright as he wanted to show.