White Lies

More than Meets the Eye

"Someone wants to kill me," Harry muttered morosely, burying his face in his hands and groaning. "Someone in Hogwarts."

Suddenly, he gave a short, dry laugh against his palms.

Well, that wasn't really anything new,was it?

"No," Remus said sharply, and Harry snapped his head up, startled at the man's tone. "Not kill you," Remus continued, softer this time and not looking away from the boy he'd thought of as a son for the last five years, when Harry first came to him and bravely asked him to teach him the Patronus Charm at age thirteen. "Trap you, perhaps."

Harry nodded, swallowing. "They want something."

Remus shook his head slowly, hesitantly. "We're not sure. I've..." he paused, eyes flicking to the other side of the room where Madame Pomfrey continued unnecessarily fussing over Draco, who was looking more sulky by the minute. "I've told Madame Pomfrey, because she's one of the people who are working on those safety rooms. You're not the only who's falling through them, apparently," he said, pressing his lips together thinly.

Harry nodded again, only mildly surprised. Ever since the school year started, students meeting minor accidents with the 'new' Hogwarts weren't unusual. It was the same with students accidentally slipping through a few steps down whenever the staircases would move. After all, it was Hogwarts.

"When did this start?" Remus asked.

Harry thought real hard about this, remembering the first time. It hadn't been such a big deal really, so he didn't give the event much importance. He just tripped and fell through a broom closet. Alohomora-ing it was easy enough. Admittedly, there was a big chance that it could have just been a result of his two left feet. "Last week," he said. "Exactly last week. I remember it being a Saturday. I went out for some more flying. Well, that could have just been an accident," he muttered, flushing.

"Or not," Remus said seriously.

Harry didn't know what to say to that. He simply nodded slowly and asked one of his own questions. "Who else have been falling through them?"

At this, Remus paused again. Finally, he let out, "Neville Longbottom."

Harry blinked hard. "Neville?"

Remus nodded.

"See, maybe we're just taking this too seriously, Remus," Harry started, eyebrows knit together. His head was starting to hurt. "They all seem like coincidences to me. I mean, everyone's been getting into some small accident with all the new stuff in Hogwarts."

"That's why you didn't tell anyone sooner then?" Remus raised an eyebrow, almost accusingly.

Harry flushed. "Well, the first time I tried to, Ron and Hermione laughed at me," he muttered defensively. "Though it really did sound mental at the time. I came to you next, of course."

And Remus, despite knowing that he really should be giving Harry a good scolding right about now, suddenly felt warm at the boy's declaration that Remus was one of the first people that he trusted to share this to. He told himself to be more like James. What would James do?

...Probably something embarrassing like ruffling Harry's hair and hugging him enthusiastically.

Let's not even talk about what Sirius would do.

Lily. Right, Lily.

"Harry, you do know that you have this bad habit of keeping important things to yourself, don't you?" he said with a sigh.

Harry found that he liked the infirmary floor. It was... clean.

"I hate to say this, Harry," Remus murmured softly. "But there are still Death Eaters on the loose. You're not... safe..."