Grim Grinning Ghosts

Chapter 9: Contemplation, Explanation, Revelation, Investigation

"You're joking."

It was dinnertime, and Harrison had just finished telling their friends what had happened when they'd left the grounds with Professor McGonagall. Ron had a piece of steak and kidney pie halfway to his mouth, but he'd forgotten all about it. Draco seemed to have abandoned his soup in favor of gawking at him. Hermione was staring at him up and down, looking at him rather strangely and jotting something down in a small notebook. Blaise was trying not to look interested as he sat with the Griffs, and was failing miserably to anyone who bothered to look close enough. Even Vincent and Gregory were staring at them in awe.

Theodore Nott, the previously unintroduced Slytherin, was sitting at the scarlet table for the first time, accompanying Blaise and was trying to figure out what was so...strange...about the first year Gryffindor with two personalities. Harold was focused on eating, deep in thought.

Neville, unsurprisingly, was still recovering in the Hospital Wing.

"Seeker?" Ron spoke the word almost breathlessly, "But first years never... you must be the-"

"Youngest House player in about a century," Harrison finished for him as Harold continued to feast, shoveling pie into his mouth, "Oliver Wood told us."

All the boys present (except for Blaise and Theo) just sat and gaped at the two disguised undead boys.

"I start training next week," explained Harrison, "Only please don't tell anyone, Wood wants to keep it a secret."

Fred and George Weasley now came into the hall, spotted Harrison, and hurried over.

"Well done," said George in a low voice, "Wood told us. We're on the team too. Beaters."

"I tell you, we're going to win that Quidditch cup for sure this year," continued Fred, "We haven't won since Charlie left, but this year's team is going to be brilliant. You must be good, Harry, Wood was almost skipping when he told us."

"Anyway, we've got to go, Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret passageway out of the school."

"Bet it's that one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that we found in our first week. See you."

They scampered off, cackling to themselves. When they left, Draco let out a sigh.

"Guess Slytherin might not be winning with you on the team anytime soon..." he muttered, earning giggles from the others.

"Might as well pack your bags and move to Gryffindor!" Ron replied jokingly, patting the blond hair boy's back.

"Never." Draco gasped in mock horror.

A second round of laughter passed by the group of friends, and almost everyone seemed content.

Harold finished the last of his pie, forcing his mind to think about, once again, the missing member of the group. Did Neville hate Harold? Was he scared of him now? Would he not want to be friends anymore? The round boy's reaction to seeing only a fraction of what Harold really was was troubling. Harold discreetly looked around at his laughing friends, and wondered how they would react to the truth.

Suddenly, all at once, the reason why Harrison wanted them to pretend to be alive became all too clear.

Harold had, before Hogwarts, only Harrison and sometimes Avos to keep him company. Now, he had friends, real friends who didn't mind his slurred speech and love for digging in the dirt. But they didn't know the truth. Would they still be friends if they did?

Did Neville still want to be his friend?

Harold blinked and began to stand up, managing to get out of the bench without Harrison's help. Harrison, hearing his thoughts, simply nodded and let him have complete control. Everyone turned to look at him perplexedly.