Harry Potter Short Stories

Inner Slytherin Ch 3

"I'm not an idiot, and I guess you're not either," said Ron.

"Thanks for the massive concession," said Hermione.

"Wot?"

Hermione debated shouting at the red-head, but decided she would prefer to run damage limitations with Harry, and walked away from the puzzled boy.

She caught up with Harry.

"He gets his ideas from his mother," she said.

"Yes, and he cannot think for himself," said Harry, sadly. "I fear Molly has been well and truly brainwashed by Dumbledore and is indoctrinating her own children too."

"I thought hard about what you said last night," said Hermione. "And I went over the whole summer at Grimmauld Place in my head. And you're right. I think the headmaster means well ..."

"The road to Hell is paved with good intentions," said Harry. "Do you think that the ends justify the means?"

"No," said Hermione. "But isn't he the only hope we have to fight Vol ..." Harry held up a hand.

"Snape told me he can hear his own name, and nobody told me why it wasn't smart to show no fear of the nasty creature," he said. "According to him, I am the last, best hope of mankind."

"You watch Babylon 5?"

"I saw some episodes when Dudley was watching before it bored him because the aliens were being treated civilly and not tortured to death," said Harry. "But if you will help me, we can seem to go along with Dumbledore, and work by ourselves."

"'And so,'" said Hermione, "'It begins.'"

"Who died and made you Ambassador Khorsh?" grinned Harry.

"It beats comparing Dumbledore to Stalin, who was on the side of the Allies in WW2," said Hermione. "And he's not in Stalin's league."

"No, but at least by making you look at the situation I am in by bringing up the muggle comparison made you think, and so I have two people I know are on my side."

"You're going to forgive Ron for being obtuse?"

"No, Hermione. I mean you and Snape. He may be a git but he's never lied to me. Every other adult in my life has done so. And I'm sick of it."

"Did that occlumency lesson have anything to do with it?"

Harry considered.

"Yes," he said. "He finally managed to explain it to me, and I slept like a babe. I was able to get up early and do all my homework. And I'm going to study with him so I have a chance of surviving."

"Harry, was that detention ..."

"Did I do it to get extra study time? Yes, but avoiding detention with Umbitch didn't go amiss either."

oOoOo

"I put some things to Hermione in muggle history terms," said Harry, when he turned up for detention. "I finally got her to admit that what an authority figure says, written or verbally, isn't necessarily true just because they are in charge."

"Well, hallelujah for you, P ... Harry," said Snape. "What's it to do with me?"

"I think if she learned Occlumensy and even legilimensy too we could use her to spy on Dumbledore," said Harry. "Besides, I do like her, she's smart and funny when she isn't obsessing about exams."

"I'll deal with her obsession with exams," said Snape. "What you say has merit. I note you don't suggest the Weasley boy."

"You know, he was close to being insulting when I said that the sorting had almost put me in Slytherin," said Harry. "He is as closed of mind and bigoted as Malfoy."