AN: Hello everyone, an update for you: we will be releasing Naruto: The Senju Patriarch chapters on Patreon and publicly on other sites once every 2 days. This is to make time for writing chapters for MCU: The Shinobi system. Since University and schools are starting back up, we have much less times on our hands, and I believe this reduction will help to avoid burnout. I believe MCU: The Shinobi system will be our best one yet with how it is shaping up, so stay tuned! Harry Potter: The Flaw of Slytherin and One Piece: Paw Paw Fruit uploads will remain the same as before.
Greengrass left the carriage shortly after, taking Kipler with her, leaving Blake to ponder on his situation.
Dumbledore left the situation unresolved, so the possibility of me having to take matters into my own hands to ensure my safety was already rising. And Greengrass knowing about the whole essay writing thing was also a risk - now that I think about it, this could've ended a lot worse for me.
Now I have mutually assured destruction with Greengrass - neither of us can bring teachers or authority into anything without bringing trouble for ourselves, and the promise of 3,000 Galleons if we get to the Stone, which because of Dumbledore's plans, was already likely. And the Vow's not dangerous to me - if I'd be putting myself in.
There's no way I'm letting Harry, Granger and Weasley face Quirrell by themselves - they'd get absolutely wiped, Quirrell would become immortal, and I'd be screwed, along with everyone else that's muggleborn in the school. Obviously, if the teachers were there I'd be different, but I have no clue how long it would take for Quirrell to take the Elixir and use it - unless the time is the same amount as getting Greengrass, it can't afford to be wasted.
But still, I hate the fact that I'm being held to that stupid Vow - if the professors are there to deal with it, I'm letting them deal with it. No amount of money is worth my life.
As Blake pondered, however, he was interrupted by another girl - but this one wasn't one he was expecting.
"Excuse me, Blake!" Hermione Granger marched on over to him.
Why is she here? Blake thought, apprehensive.
"Hello, Granger," he said cautiously.
"D'you mind?" she asked, pointing to the seat opposite. When Blake shook his head, she sat down opposite him, when Greengrass had been sitting not too long ago.
"I wanted to talk to you about the last discussion we had," she announced, before a shy look came over her face.
"It didn't occur to me that you might've been just looking for a way to make money, you see. Well, there's no great need for me to do so, so it didn't occur to me that it's a concern for anyone else. And I suppose you were right, I guess. Harry and Ron would've messed around anyway, and it would always be up to them to study themselves. But I'm not saying that what you're doing is right, or that I'm wrong for bringing it up!" she added on hastily.
"I just wanted to say that I understand your point of view."
"Uh… right. Well, thanks, I guess, Granger." Blake was a bit confused as to why this conversation was even happening, and he decided it was best to end it as soon as possible. Granger, however, had no such intentions.
"And also, Harry vouched for you. He said he met you first, even before Ron, and that you were nice, and we shouldn't assume that just because you're in Slytherin you're bad. Especially after your duel with Malfoy - oh don't smirk so much-"
"You're smiling too!"
"No, I am not! Anyway, I wanted to apologise for that, specifically. I assumed you had bad intentions just because you were in Slytherin - if you were in Gryffindor I doubt I'd had that much of a reaction."
I really don't care that much, but thanks.
"Thanks, Granger, that's nice of you to say."
"And not only that," Granger continued as if she hadn't heard him, "I didn't even stop to consider that you might possibly be the only muggleborn Slytherin in Hogwarts - ever! Malfoy and his goons and the other Slytherins already harass me enough as it is, and I'm in Gryffindor. I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like for you! That's why I just wanted to tell you that, well, I'm muggleborn too, and I know I'm not in Slytherin, but if you ever wanted someone to talk to, me, Harry and Ron are here for you."
Granger spoke very quickly, and was almost out of breath by the time she finished, leading Blake to believe she'd practiced what to say beforehand. But even still… so that's the real reason she wanted to speak to me? She felt guilty about judging me, and then she realised my position is probably the worst to be in Hogwarts. Some type of sense of loyalty because we're both muggleborn too - plus the fact that she's genuinely nice. Well, in that case…
Blake smiled at Granger, genuine.
"Thanks, Granger, I appreciate that."
Blake thought he saw a light blush on the Gryffindor bookworm's face for a second.
"You can call me Hermione, y'know."
"Ok, Hermione."
A somewhat awkward silence fell, before Blake decided to break the ice.
"Are you as good at all the other subjects as you are at Potions?"
"I could ask the same to you!"
As the muggleborn duo descended into conversation about academics and what interested them, Blake realised that in some ways, he and Hermione were quite alike. They were both muggleborn and intelligent, yes, but they were also both very hard working - Hermione knew a lot about magic, even by Blake's standards. In fact, he'd say that in terms of theory, she held the crown over him.
As Hermione began speaking about counterhexes and wand movement, Blake smiled inside. Not only had he made an intelligent and useful ally for the future, but it seemed that he'd also made a potential new friend.
I'm getting a lot of those, Blake thought, thinking back to Zabini, Tracey, Charlotte, and even Harry - whenever they'd see each other outside of the lessons for windows, they'd always stop and chat, albeit only for a few minutes, about random things, and Blake enjoyed it.
But are they my friends?
Eventually, the train stopped, and Hermione and Blake stepped through Platform 9 and ¾ , eagerly looking around for their families.
It seemed that absence did indeed make the heart grow fonder, Blake realised, as he was greeted by a surprise bone crushing hug from Connor, shortly followed by his mum. As the three exchanged greetings and well wishes, Blake realised that he'd actually missed the familiarity of his family. Hogwarts was new and interesting and exciting and thrilling, yes, but here with his family, there was a different kind of satisfaction. It made him feel happy and whole.
"And who's this?" Carol asked, her expression kind, looking at Hermione.
"This is Hermione, mum. Hermione, this is my mum, Carol, and this is my little brother, Connor."
"Nice to meet you both," Hermione greeted warmly. She was clearly made for this type of thing, Blake noted, as she and Carol chattered away, until Hermione caught sight of her own parents and said her goodbyes.
Blake prepared to leave with his family after she left, but suddenly, he remembered something - or rather, someone. He turned back and scanned the platform, and finally, he saw her.
Greengrass had been approached by two taller figures, a man and a woman. The woman embraced Greengrass tightly, despite Greengrass's obvious reluctance, and the man offered a quick hug, which seemed much more acceptable to the girl. As they engaged in conversation, Blake couldn't help but feel as though they were talking about him, and he quickly turned around just as the man turned in his direction.
Were they really talking about me? Blake's thought process was interrupted by his mother.
"We have exciting news, Blake."
"What is it?" he said, trying to distract himself from the thoughts of Lord Greengrass's icy blue eyes piercing his back, and putting his trunk into the back of the run down car.
"Connor's-"
"I'M MAGIC!" the younger brother roared with excitement.
As he and Carol grinned at Blake, the eldest boy stood there frozen in shock for a moment, before bursting out with laughter, grinning widely, as Carol explained that even despite Blake's absence, weird things kept happening.
"The bathwater turned into slime!" Connor announced, delighted in his certainty that he was certain he'd be going to Hogwarts.
As all three of them laughed, however, Blake's feeling of dread magnified further than ever before.
There's no choice now. I have to stop Quirrell.
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