Magic, Family, Power, & Freedom

The First Approach

"Asshole"- talking

§Open§ -Parseltongue

'Prat' -thinking

"Enough" -familiar speaking/beast speak/gobbledegook

"Hello" - speaking different languages

'This kid' -familiar/magical creature/ goblin thinking

Hello -writing/messages/news/letters

Scream- memories/dreams/visions

*Sit* -action

Chapter 7: The First Approach

==============================

¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤Start Chapter¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤

Third pov:

Katie kept sneaking glances down the table. The twins had caught up to her as they had made their way to the Great Hall for dinner. They mentioned what they learned from Neville and Hermione. When asked why they did not go to Ron the twins say he was not there and their gut said that it be better to ask those to more than Ron since he is not really one to pay attention to things other than food, quidditch, and chess in that order. When the twins told her about how they could confirm at the very least he neglected and verbally abused they can not about physical abuse but they are not the only ones who think so. The twins told her how both Neville and Hermione try to get Harry to eat more and stuff but are stopped by Ron at almost every turn. The twins told her how the two hoped they could help on that part. Everything Katie heard she could not forget the details she was not the only one who had been suspecting physical abuse so had two first years for a long time. She was glad to hear that both Longbottom and Granger both convinced Harry to go to Gringotts for an inheritance test during the break to claim his title and become emancipated thanks to the last line act. Which he should have done after getting his letter not only that he should have gone to St.Mungo for a full check up which begs the question of why he hadn't if he had she sure the news would gotten out way before Hogwarts started. So that had begged the question of why Harry was like this and why did he not go to St. Mungo?  

When the twins mention how he does not eat much and think about all the things she observes it keeps sounding more and more like the stories her mother tends to talk with her about. The more she looked at the small boy the more she was convinced she was right. She tried to remember what her mother always said, however. Make sure to be careful and be sure looks can be deceiving after all. She could be drawing her own, what she hoped to be, incorrect conclusions. It had happened to her mother after all. There were times when her mother thought something was wrong when there was not. Not all families were the same and not all childhoods were similar. However, Katie's mother also always said to listen to your instincts. Right now Katie's instincts were screaming louder than a banshee's wail. Not only that but two first years have at the very least confirmed Harry has been neglected and abused even if the abuse was only confirmed to be verbal at the moment. Not only that but Katie was not the only one who could tell there were signs of physical abuse. Right now it was dinner and  Katie looked down at her plate comparing it to Harry's. Even when Katie was trying to cut back a little it was still nearly three times larger than Harry's plate. After quidditch practice Katie was ravenous and her plate always reflected that. She knew he had exercised just as much as she not knowing that Harry in fact had done more since he trained alone after practice. Katie knew she was taller than him by at least a foot but still, she could not help but think how he should eat more.  Why did he have less than a fifth of the food that she had?

She also noticed how he served himself after others did. He only took food when he thought no one was looking. It looked to be always the smallest portions heck even his mate Ron ate more than he did piling his plate up with help that could fill up Hagrid who is a half-giant. It would be one thing if he was a picky eater she knew plenty of people that were. But it was the way he looked at it and how he was willingly ate anything without caring what it was he even ate things that he clearly did not like. She looked at how some things he clearly wanted to eat more of but was visibly holding back. Katie wanted to cry on several occasions she opened her mouth wanting to say something but stopped herself. She really wanted to make a comment any comment. She even wanted to feed him herself she wanted him to eat more like he wanted without restraining himself. She wanted to know why he was like this. She wanted to help him.  However, she couldn't even with his godbrother's approval help him, even with Granger the first-year girl who clearly worries for the boy asking them to help where they can not she was too hesitant to shy. She did not know if she had any right to help him. Not only that but she did not wish to embarrass him in front of everyone.  She watched Harry as he would eat his small portions slowly and on occasion comment on what the redhead boy sitting on his right was saying always with a forced smile. Katie then would see that Harry would look over with other first years that were sitting a bit away look of longing clearly wanting to sit with them rather than where he was before he went back to his plate and picked at his small bit of food. It was at this time Katie looked at around Harry as well and noticed how there was a bit of a gap between him and others and the only one by him was the redhead. Harry was being isolated and he could clearly tell it.