The rest of the year passed just as Blake expected. The rumours made their way around school, but luckily, no one had associated Blake and Greengrass with the events, meaning Dumbledore, the Professors and Harry's friends had kept their word.
Blake didn't go to see Harry in the infirmary, instead opting to see him after their next Potions lesson.
"You okay?" Harry immediately asked him.
"I'm good," Blake replied, grinning. "You okay?"
"I'm good," Harry repeated, also grinning.
The pair of them walked side by side, to the Great Hall for a while.
"Ron told me that you and Daphne said you didn't want any credit."
"Yep."
"I get why, but it doesn't sit right that they all don't know how much you helped."
Blake smiled.
"Do me a favour then, Harry - to make it up for me."
Harry raised his eyebrow, but eagerly said, "Go on!"
"Next year, I think - no, I know my brother is coming to Hogwarts," Blake said, noting the surprise on Harry's face, "and I'm certain he'll be in Gryffindor. If that's the case, do me a favour and look after him, will you? He reminds me a lot of you - and also, don't tell him about what happened here. I don't want him to be scared."
Harry looked at Blake, agape for a few moments, before finally processing what he said.
"Of course!" Harry told him with a big smile. "What's your brother's name?"
"It's Connor. Thanks, Harry," Blake said, smiling genuinely, slightly relieved. Harry was a loyal person, and Blake was grateful to know there was more than one person that would be looking out for Connor in the future.
/
Soon enough, Blake's last lesson with McGonagall rolled around.
"Mr Renshaw, I believe we've made enough progress for the foreseeable future here at Hogwarts," she said. "Clearly, you don't need the lessons anymore - just stay on top of practice, and you'll be more than fine."
Blake smiled at McGonagall, truly grateful.
"Thank you, Professor - really. If not for your lessons, I would've-"
"No, thank you, Mr- Blake," she said, with a smile. "Harry Potter warned me about what would happen that night, and I didn't listen. If not for your and Ms Greengrass's intervention, I'm not sure what would've happened."
Blake just smiled at her.
"Professor, could I ask a favour?"
"Of course, Blake."
"Next year, my brother-"
"Yes, I heard from Professor Dumbledore. I suppose you believe he'll be in Gryffindor?"
"I know it."
"Then I'll watch over him, just as I do with my other students, Mr Renshaw, as if he was my own son. I hope you don't expect any preferential treatment for your brother from me!"
Blake smiled again.
"Thank you, Professor," he said. "And one last thing - I was wondering if you had any books on the last war that I could read over summer?"
/
"Renshaw, a word," a silky voice spoke after a knock on the door.
"Hide," Blake and Zabini mouthed to the girls, who were in their dorm. As they hid in cupboards and in the bathroom, Blake opened the door.
"Hello, Professor."
"Come with me."
Blake followed Snape down and out of the common room, to his office.
"As you're well aware, I heard about your… adventure, shall we say."
Blake didn't respond.
"Of course, I suppose I must commend your cunning and quick thinking. No doubt, without your presence, and Greengrass's, foolish Potter would've gotten himself killed."
I doubt that, actually, Blake thought, thinking of how Quirrell-Voldemort had died literally from touching Harry, but he didn't say anything.
"However, this matter also brings concern over your involvement in these matters. You've brought yourself to the attention of the Dark Lord, Renshaw. I need not tell you the consequences of that."
"Respectfully, sir, that's not public knowledge - not even the Ministry is aware of it, right? The only danger is if Voldemort-" Blake saw Snape flinch visibly.
"-actually returns. And even then, I'm a target anyway."
"Be that as it may, by directly opposing him, you're painting an even bigger target on your back - you, and your brother."
Blake paused for a moment, before speaking.
"Sir, do you know what he called me, in that chamber? Aside from the other pureblood drivel, and the muggleborn hate? He said I am the Flaw of Slytherin. Regardless of whether or not I intervened with Potter, I was always going to be a target, purely for being who I am, my brother too. And if I'm going to be a target, I refuse to take it standing - why should I have to hide and run when I've done nothing wrong, and when I have the power and means to fight back?"
Snape was quiet for a moment, before replying quietly.
"You remind me of someone I once knew. She was just like you, y'know. Muggleborn. Talented. A sense of justice too. The Dark Lord killed her."
Blake couldn't help but shake the feeling that Snape was talking about someone far more important to him than just 'someone [he] once knew'.
"What you have, Renshaw, that she doesn't, is Slytherin. You're cunning and quickwitted and ambitious. Good day to you."
As Blake left the Potions Master's office, he thought about the cryptic message that Snape had just given him. What I have is Slytherin?
Shaking his head, Blake put Snape's message to the back of his mind, before getting ready for the end-of-year feast.
/
Blake was barely surprised at the outcome of the House Cup. Of course they won, Blake sighed. By now, it was clear to Blake that Dumbledore, for whatever reason, was grooming Harry into some type of Voldemort-repellant, and Harry was clearly eating it all up.
Oh well, Blake thought, as he stood on the platform, looking for Hagrid. The exams had gone well, of course. Blake scored Outstandings, the highest grade possible, across the board - except for in Herbology, in which he'd scored an Exceeding Expectations, which was still decent. Blake had thanked Neville for his help, but the boy refused to accept it, gushing over Blake about how their study buddy sessions had allowed him to get Exceeding Expectations in most of his classes somehow - even an Acceptable in Potions, which actually surprised Blake. Neville had even managed to score an Outstanding in Defence Against the Dark Arts (along with Herbology), much to Malfoy's chagrin.
All in all it was a decent day, and it was only going to get better.
"Hello, Blake!" Hagrid said. The giant had somehow seen him first, which was embarrassing for Blake, considering Hagrid was almost 12 feet tall.
"Hi, Hagrid!"
The giant seemed slightly miffed that Blake had tricked him for information about the Stone, but had quickly forgiven him after learning about what had gone down, very grateful that Blake had helped Harry.
"I don' blame yer, Blake," the giant had said. "After all, yer a Slytherin!"
The pair made their way to Diagon Alley, or more specifically, Gringotts. Blake had told his mother a small white lie, saying that he and his friends were going out to Diagon Alley to have fun after school ended, and to pick him up from near there. Blake felt slightly guilty, but it was for her sake, anyway.
"I'd like to open an account, please," Blake told the goblin at the till.
"Name?"
"Blake Renshaw."
"Any wizarding ancestry?"
"No."
"How much would you like to deposit? I hope you're aware the minimum is 50 Galleons?"
"4,500 Galleons."
"Excuse me?"
"You what?" Hagrid guffawed at Blake, who only smiled in return, before handing the goblin a bag of coins. The goblin immediately started counting, and Hagrid almost choked, seeing the money.
"How did you get that much money!?"
Blake only winked at Hagrid.
"Afraid I can't tell you, Hagrid. After all, I am a Slytherin."
/
That night, Blake presented his mother with a closed envelope.
"Open it, Mum. It's a gift - my first, proper gift to you."
Carol looked confused for a moment, before smiling and opening the envelope.
"Oh, Blake, honey, is this a letter? A report card?" Carol scanned the page, before turning to Blake and hugging him.
"You did so well! Look, the Headmaster even wrote you a personal letter!"
"That's not even the main part," Blake said, laughing. "Look in the envelope!"
Carol took out a second piece of paper from the envelope, and studied it for a moment, before shrieking.
"Blake! How-!?"
Blake smirked.
"Hogwarts rewards intelligence, Mum."
"Really, Blake, is this real? How did you get this much?" She turned to him sharply.
"You didn't get this illegally, did you?" Blake rolled his eyes.
"Oh, please, Mum. You think McGonagall would've let me?"
Carol didn't argue with that, instead choosing to focus once more on the money.
"Lemme see!" Connor said, unable to contain his curiosity.
"What? Blake, how the hell did you get £20,000?"
/
Later that week, Blake sat Connor down.
"Listen, Connor. There's a couple of things you need to know about Hogwarts, and the wizarding world in general, before you come in."
Connor's interest spiked.
"I'm listening," he said.
Blake took out a book he'd gotten from McGonagall, titled: 'He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named: Britain's Wizarding War'.
"Where should I begin? Well, I guess it starts with Lord Voldemort…"
30 minutes later…
"So, people hate us?"
Blake winced.
"Kind of? It's hard to explain, Connor."
"So they have racists, basically. And you're in the house with most of them?"
"Keep your voice down," Blake hissed. "And it's not that bad. I've scared off most of them, and the ones that can actually do anything to me won't - they don't like getting into trouble, you see. And I've got friends there too."
"You have friends? People you actually call friends?"
"I think so?"
"You're weird, Blakey."
"Don't call me that!"
"Anyway, I get what you're saying, Blakey," Connor said, completely ignoring Blake. "Don't worry, I won't tell Mum."
Blake breathed out a sigh of relief.
"Good."
"Tell me about Hogwarts then!" Connor said brightly, as Blake shook his head, not at all surprised that his brother didn't seem the smallest bit worried. Ever the optimist, aren't you?
"Ok, then. Well, firstly, there's this Professor - the one for Potions - his name's Severus Snape…"
/
Over the course of that summer, Blake would regularly be Owl'd by Tracey, who constantly tried to set up meet-ups during the summer - unfortunately, all of them fell apart, because of Charlotte's sudden M.I.A status - something Blake had a feeling he knew the reason for. Nevertheless, there wasn't much he could do that wouldn't escalate any situation even further, so he stayed put, instead writing back to Tracey, and sometimes Zabini.
Two other people that Owl'd him were Harry and Hermione, and Blake was happy to Owl them back.
Hermione lived relatively far from him, but Harry, who lived in Surrey, wasn't actually that far away. Blake suggested jumping his fat pig of a cousin many times, but Harry shut him down (with great reluctance). Suppose he doesn't want to escalate the situation any further.
Either way, the summer passed quickly, and soon, the second year of Hogwarts had arrived.
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