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Ever since Harry had shown off in flying class, the rift between him and Draco seemed to deepen. Yet, young Harry felt no regret; on the contrary, he was proud, for he had defeated Slytherin for Gryffindor.
Meanwhile, Draco, feeling humiliated, had been plotting ways to get back at Harry. One day, Draco was swaggering down the corridor with Crabbe and Goyle, looking as self-important as ever, when he spotted the person he hated most—Harry Potter.
Draco's lip curled as he watched Potter's smug expression. Instantly, a plan formed in his mind.
"Good luck, Potter. I wasn't expelled last time. It's a pity I didn't get to see you take the train back to your Muggle world."
You were lucky you didn't break your neck last time. What's wrong, little Death Eater? Daring to run your mouth here? Are you looking for a beating?" Harry shot back, falling right into Draco's trap.
"I'm always happy to help," Draco replied with a smirk. "Wizard's duel tonight at twelve o'clock. Are you in or not?"
"Yes," Ron answered for Harry without hesitation. "I'll be his second. Who's your second?"
Draco smirked. "Crabbe is my substitute. See you in the Trophy Room—it's often unlocked."
"Wait, to stop you Slytherins cheating, we need a referee," Ron added, his voice shrewd from years of Aiden's influence. (Aiden would have been pleased.)
Draco's smile turned sly. "Alright, how about Aiden from Ravenclaw as the referee? You lot know him well, don't you?"
"You said it, so don't go back on your word," Harry quickly added.
"It's a deal." *3
After Draco left, Ron and Harry exchanged a silent look.
"What is a wizard's duel, and what's a second?" Harry asked.
"Oh, the 'second' is just the person who takes over if you die. Usually, only real wizard duels end in death. With you and Malfoy, you'll probably just end up throwing a few punches. Besides, Aiden will be there. He's the best young wizard I've ever seen," Ron replied breezily.
A voice interrupted them. "Excuse me."
They looked up to see Hermione.
"Can't we even have a quiet dinner?" Ron grumbled.
Hermione ignored him and addressed Harry directly. "I just heard you and Malfoy talking…"
"I wish you hadn't heard that," Ron muttered.
"You can't do this. Night outings are against school rules, and you'll lose a lot of points," Hermione said anxiously.
"It's none of your business," Harry replied.
"Goodbye", Ron added, dismissively.
*****
That evening, in the corridor leading to the library, Ron and Harry waited for Aiden. They knew he'd be along after supper, as he always was.
"Ah, here he comes," Ron said to Harry.
The two hurried to intercept him.
"Aiden, …"
By looking at his dear cousin and seeing how obvious his thoughts were, Aiden knew exactly what they wanted without even needing Legilimency.
"Alright, I get it. You want me to be the referee. What's the price, Ron?"
Aiden's beautiful heterochromatic eyes seemed to look right into their hearts.
"I'll treat you to some Honeydukes sweets. George and Fred have started a purchasing agency," Harry offered, not missing a beat.
Aiden smiled at the pair. "Okay."
"Yeah!" they cheered, running off to prepare for the duel.
"Aiden, you can't…"
Hermione stepped out from behind a pillar; she had clearly been keeping an eye on them.
"Oh, Hermione, long time no see. We haven't had a chat like this since the Sorting." Aiden interrupted, greeting her warmly.
"Aiden, you know that's not the point. You can't go with them and break school rules," Hermione insisted.
"Hermione, sometimes I wonder if you really belong in Gryffindor. You worry about the school rules more than anyone I know. It must be hard for you, fitting in with the rest of your house, isn't it?"
Aiden met Hermione's eyes, gently influencing her with a suggestion. She relaxed, her guard dropping, and began to confide in him.
"Yes, even though I followed the school rules and did it for their own good, Parvati and Lavender have both distanced themselves from me, and the other girls have stopped talking to me."
Aiden started walking, beckoning Hermione to follow.
"But Hermione, you know how unpleasant it feels to be lectured. Did your parents ever preach to you when you were a child? How did you feel about it?" Aiden softened his voice, using his ability.
"My parents did that for my own good," Hermione said stubbornly.
"But we're still young, and it's our privilege to make some harmless mistakes," Aiden said with a smile.
"Will their breaking of school rules hurt others or cause damage to Hogwarts?"
"No." Hermione's voice was subdued.
"Then try to tolerate them; let them make mistakes as much as they want, and they'll turn back when they hit a wall. Also, leaving room for each other is the way to make friends." Aiden led Hermione, and before she knew it, they had arrived at the entrance to Gryffindor Tower.
"I'll try, and you really act like an old man." Hermione stuck out her tongue at Aiden, gave the password, and entered the common room.
(＝w＝) Aiden watched her leave, a sense of satisfaction growing as he felt his role-playing progress advance.
"Young kids are always full of troubles, aren't they, Aiden?"
A voice came from behind him.
"But don't count on young people to resolve everything on their own. The experience of our predecessors can help us avoid many detours, Professor Dumbledore."
Aiden knew who it was without turning.
"It's a beautiful night. Would you like to take a walk together?" Dumbledore invited.
"I can't ask for anything better."
*****
As night fell, Hogwarts shed the hustle and bustle of the day, cloaked in tranquillity and mystery. Moonlight streamed through the tall, pointed windows, casting dappled shadows along the winding stone corridors.
An old man and a young one walked together through the castle.
"Aiden, you may have noticed that Harry has had a rough life, and he will have to bear a great burden in the future. This is all my fault. Can you please help me take care of Harry?"
"Professor, there's no need. Harry is my good friend. If the time comes, I won't just stand by and watch. Not to mention that my silly cousin has already thrown himself in."
"Then I feel much more relieved." Dumbledore breathed a sigh of relief.
"So, Professor, what's the price?"
"Didn't you just say he was your good friend?"
"He is him, and you are you. You're the Chief Magician of the Wizengamot. You wouldn't want to take advantage of a little wizard like me for free, would you?" Aiden said with a sly smile.
"Well, how could that be? I heard from Flitwick that you were going to create your own spell. Did you run into trouble with runes? How about I teach you runes?"
"No problem. Harry is my beloved friend. I will take good care of him."
[Ding, huh]
System, shut up.
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