It was a warm morning; the hot summer of August had sprawled into September, tempering the usual crisp slide into autumn. On platform nine-and-three-quarters, children milled around on the concourse, pleased to see their friends and excited to be returning to school. Parents beamed with pride, most not wanting to show their children that they’d be missed, and hiding their tears behind a happy smile.
Charlotte Harper was not one of these mothers. Clutching her handkerchief to her face, she unashamedly let the tears spill down her cheeks as she hugged her daughter, Sophia, to her ample chest. Beside them, her stepson Aaron turned away, embarrassed by the excess of emotion, especially as he knew his sister was milking it so she’d be given a few more Galleons to spend this term.
–I’m going to load up,†he muttered and stepped away.
–Help your sister with her trunk,†Charlotte reproved.
–I’m going now-†he started to say, and then sighed. –I’ll come back.â€
Heaving his own trunk across the platform, he pulled it onto the Hogwarts Express and started to look for his friend, Ewan. But he’d arrived early and hardly anyone had boarded the train, so Aaron took up residency in their usual carriage and stared out of the window, trying to empty his mind - or at least not think about a summer flicking between arguments and frozen silence. By the pillar, he could see Sophia had disentangled herself from her mum’s embrace and was now giggling with her friends. His stepmother, meanwhile, had pulled out a money pouch. Aaron watched as she plunged her hand into it and waited for his sister to turn her attention back to her mum.
It didn’t take long. Trying not to feel hard done by, he saw Sophia force out a few more tears as she took the money, then snorted when she was unable to keep the lascivious glee off her face.
–That won’t get you any more money,†he murmured. And with satisfaction, he smirked as his stepmother pursed her lips and closed her moneybag.
He looked away, resentful that Sophia was still able to charm whereas he - he checked his own moneybag - he had very little left from the allowance his dad had given him at the beginning of July. There was no point brooding. He’d cocked up his exams, and the clutch of Exceeds Expectations he’d been predicted to achieve had been watered down into Acceptables.
–What is the point in you spending another two years studying for NEWTs when it is obvious you do not put the work in? It is a waste of your time and my money, Aaron.â€
–I could retake,†he spluttered. –I have Es in Charms, Potions and Muggle Studies, so I can take them to NEWT.â€
–MUGGLE STUDIES! What use is that?†his stepmother shrieked.
–I LIKE IT.†He turned away from her. –Dad, I only failed Ancient Runes and Care of Magical Creatures. Please, you let Lucas and Jasper take NEWTs.â€
–They had good results!†his father spat. –It is patently clear to me that you don’t have their talent. Leave Hogwarts and -â€
Aaron hadn’t tried to remonstrate but stormed from the room, slamming the door and refusing to go back when his dad shouted at him. He’d stayed in his room for the rest of that day, staring moodily out of the window and ignoring the house-elf’s calls for food.
That week he’d avoided any confrontation, coming down late for breakfast, and eating dinner early before his dad and brothers returned from work. But he couldn’t hide forever and the summons to his dad’s study the following Sunday had to be obeyed.
–You may return to Hogwarts.â€
–Thank-you!†Aaron’s face must have shown his delight and surprise because his father fixed him with a steely glare.
–Or leave and work for the business.â€
–I want to take my NEWTs,†Aaron answered, his face wreathed in smiles at this unexpected reprieve. –I won’t let you down, Dad. I’ll study hard, I promise.â€
His dad raised his hand, quietening him. –If you join your brothers it will be on a full wage. You will have to start at the bottom, but with hard work and my backing you will soon work your way up.â€
–I want to go back to school.â€
–And you may,†his father declared, –but you will have minimal assistance from me. You have shown yourself incapable of achieving and I will not waste time and money on a fruitless endeavour. I will pay the fees, but that is all.â€
–No allowance?†Aaron slumped back in his chair.
–I thought that would make you reconsider.†His father turned back to his newspaper, flipping contemptuously through the Sunday Prophet, not even glancing at his son.
In a daze, Aaron stared at the newspaper. There was a photograph of Harry Potter on the front page, attending his godson’s wedding. It wasn’t a great picture, a sneaked shot - perhaps. The Head Auror looked startled, his eyes flicking suspiciously from left to right and Aaron became irrationally annoyed at the blurriness of the shot. It was the front page of the paper; they should have found one of the bride, not a badly framed picture of Harry simply because he was famous.
–I don’t know why you’re still here,†his father snapped. –Unless the thought of no money has made you come to your senses sooner than I thought.â€
Saying no more, Aaron left his father’s study and went back to his room. On his bedside cabinet lay two cameras, he touched one of them with his fingertips, intent on picking it up, but now was not the time, not when the gloom of his uncertain future loomed ahead of him as coldly depressing as a Dementor.
Someone rapped on the window. Awoken from his sad reverie, Aaron scowled at Sophia, who was miming that she needed help with her trunk, but his quarrel wasn’t with her and he got off the train.
–You don’t want to sit with me, I hope,†he muttered.
–Merlin, no!†she exclaimed. –I do have friends of my own, you know. Although Daisy Flint did ask if you’d like to join us.â€
–She’s thirteen,†he said in disgust and shuddered. –There must be other boys in your year. Why me?â€
Sophia pulled a face. –No idea. She’s babbling something about how you’ve grown, and have a tan. She thinks you look ‘mature’.â€
–She’s thirteen,†he repeated.
–Nearly fourteen,†Sophia replied, and then she smiled at him. –Don’t worry, I’ll tell her you still sleep with your teddy bear or something.â€
He said no more, hauling her trunk onto the train whilst she gave her mum a final kiss. Then when inside, she directed him along to her carriage, giggling when she saw Daisy had already commandeered a seat by the door. He glowered at Sophia when she suggested he stay and backed out quickly, but once in the corridor, she caught up with him.
–Wait,†she called.
–Why?â€
–For this,†she replied.
He felt her press something into his hand and looking down saw she’d handed him five of the ten Galleons her mother had given her.
–What’s this for?â€
–I know Daddy’s stopped your allowance,†she replied. –So -†Her voice trailed off.
–Er... Soph, I don’t know what to say.â€
–A thank you would be nice,†she said tartly. –If you hadn’t been staring at me out of the window, then I could have got more, but your face made me laugh.â€
–Thanks,†he said, truly grateful. Five Galleons, it wasn’t much, but at least he had something to get him through the term.
–Don’t blow it all on the sweet trolley,†she replied as she stepped away, –Or that girl.â€
‘What girl?’ he wanted to say, but Sophia knew him better than anyone, and would only have laughed louder.
And in her wink, and the words unspoken, was the other reason he wanted to return to school.
Genister Avery was a Ravenclaw in his year, one he’d got to know when they started Ancient Runes. It was a small class (only eight other pupils that year) and he was the only Slytherin in the group, so out of necessity, he’d made friends with some of them. Ancient Runes had not been a subject he’d been fond of, but it was something his father thought worthy of study, and although he’d stuck with the subject, Aaron had several times over the previous three years wanted to chuck it in. In all honesty, he’d been relieved when he’d failed because then he couldn’t be forced to take it further, knowing that a large part of why he hadn’t given up the subject was because of Genister.
He’d never really noticed her before, but somehow in their fifth year, he’d started seeing her in a different light. She wasn’t exactly beautiful, but neither was she ugly. She was slim, reasonably tall and with wispy blonde hair that she’d always worn in a long plait until the Christmas before when she’d returned to Hogwarts with it cut sharply to her jaw line. Overhearing her giggling about it to her friends, and telling them how she had enjoyed her mum’s horror, he’d stared at her, wondering why having a few inches off your hair made such a difference, but then realised he could see her features clearly, her cheekbones sharp and her blue eyes much larger without the weighty fringe. She’d seen him looking and smiled; Aaron had turned away too embarrassed to smile and he’d heard her laughing again.
His thoughts drifted to Hogsmeade and maybe sitting in the Three Broomsticks with her. Perhaps this term things would be different. Perhaps the fact that he might not share any classes with her this year didn’t automatically mean she’d no longer speak to him. He sighed. Why he was bothering to even think about her, he had no idea as not only had she never shown the slightest interest outside class, but last term she’d started going out with Hugo-bloody -Weasley. Kicking open his carriage door, Aaron sat heavily down in his seat and stared again out of the window. There were children on the platform, first years he realised, their nervous energy brimming over. Without thinking, he picked up his camera (the magical one) and started to focus.
It had been in Muggle Studies in his fourth year that Aaron had become interested in photography. Professor Trescothick, a grizzled man with a thatch of grey hair and kind brown eyes, had brought in some old Muggle cameras and together they’d sat around snapping pictures. The following week, the professor had showed them the developing process, and then they’d compared the results with a wizarding camera. Most of his classmates hadn’t been able to handle the concept of a still picture and their photographs had been blurred, but at the end of the lesson, the professor had praised Aaron.
–You have an eye for this, Harper, Tell me; are you in the Photography Club?â€
Aaron shook his head because it had never been something that had appealed to him, but later that evening, when he’d flipped through his photographs, something had stirred inside him, a vague interest that had nothing to do with schoolwork, Quidditch or the family business. It was something of his own, something private that he could connect to, a pastime that didn’t require him to explain himself, but only asked that he observe and pick his moment.
Click. He lowered his camera, frowning because someone had walked into the frame just when he’d spied a dad hastily wiping away a tear.
It was Genister. She’d walked through the barrier looking flustered, probably because she was cutting it fine. Coming through just behind her were her parents, both speaking at the same time and ‘at’ her it seemed rather than ‘to’ her. Even from a distance, Aaron could sense her exasperation with them as she dragged her trunk with both hands over the platform, and he grinned. Across the concourse, someone else had noticed her arrival. Aaron stiffened as he recognised Weasley, who’d deliberately turned his back on her.
Interesting, Aaron thought, and she’s not looking at him either.
After checking his reflection in the window (pleasant, nondescript features, but at least he didn’t have Weasley’s large nose) and ruffling his brown hair into a cooler style, he left his carriage and jumped off the train. Affecting an air of casualness, he strolled towards Genister.
–Hi,†he croaked. –D’you need a hand with that?â€
–I’m fine!†she snapped, then bit her lip. As she straightened up and registered who had spoken to her, Genister’s expression immediately changed. –Hi, Aaron, sorry. I don’t mean to be rude, and yes, this is rather heavy.†She lowered her voice. –Dad refused to cast a lightening charm on it and I have a stack of books in here, so it’s bloody heavy.â€
–He refused?â€
Genister rolled her eyes. –He doesn’t think I should be taking them all with me as half of them aren’t even text books. He thinks he’s teaching me a lesson - ha - won’t work.â€
–Darling, are you going to introduce us?†Aaron looked up to see a slim, well-dressed woman addressing them. The resemblance to Genister was striking; it could only be her mother, although Genister never took as much care with her appearance and looked decidedly scruffy in comparison.
–This is Aaron Harper,†Genister replied, and smiled up at him. –He does Ancient Runes with me.â€
–Nathanial Harper’s boy?†Mr Avery queried, giving Aaron the once-over. A slow smile spread across his face when Aaron nodded. –And are you hoping to take Ancient Runes like my daughter?â€
–Uh, no, I didn’t do well enough in the subject,†Aaron replied, slightly embarrassed by the attention her parents were giving him. –Shame because I really enjoyed it, but -â€
–Quick, the guard’s approaching,†Genister interrupted. She lunged forwards, pecking both her parents on the cheek, then grabbed her trunk. Taking the other handle, Aaron ran with her to the train, heaving it up the steps and into the corridor.
–Bye,†she called out of the door window, smiling with relief when the train started to move. –Thank you very much. You’ve just saved me a long, long lecture about working hard and not getting distracted by silliness as my mum calls it.â€
–Silliness?â€
–Stories,†Genister explained. –I like reading... and writing, too.â€
–Your dad’s a journalist, isn’t he?†Aaron asked, suddenly remembering that the name ‘Rob Avery’ appeared in The Prophet’s by-lines every so often. –He’d like you writing, wouldn’t he?â€
–Um, not when I like writing poetry, and that makes no money,†she replied vaguely. Her eyes were peering down the corridor and she began to pull her trunk behind her.
Aaron’s hand curled around the five galleons in his hand. She’d smiled at him so vividly when introducing him to them. What if...
–Do you want to find the trolley?†he blurted out. –My treat, and... uh... I dumped my trunk in the third carriage if you’d like somewhere to sit. It’s pretty empty.â€
–Hmm,†she murmured vaguely. Then she turned to face him, focussing properly on his face. –Oh, no, thanks very much, but I’m meeting Hugo.â€
He was grateful that she looked away and couldn’t see the reaction he felt sure was on his face –Still seeing him,†he stated, stepping towards his carriage.
–Mm, just can’t tell Mum and Dad. They’d have a merry fit if they discovered we were dating.â€
Not surprised, he’s an arse, Aaron wanted to say. Ah well, at least now he could save his money. –I’ll see you around, then,†he muttered.
–Yes, Ancient Runes, perhaps.†She flushed. –Sorry, I forgot. You didn’t get an E, did you?â€
–D for Dreadful, actually.†He shrugged. –Not that surprised, it wasn’t something I liked much.â€
She laughed, sounding bemused. –Why did you take it then?â€
–Dunno,†he replied and licked his lips. –This is my carriage, so I won’t keep you.â€
–Sure,†she replied, looking even more bemused, possibly at his sudden change in tone. But Aaron didn’t care what she thought now. All he wanted was to sit by himself and lick his wounds. Unfortunately, the carriage was no longer empty as his friend, Ewan Rokeby, had finally turned up and was sprawled across one set of seats, stuffing his face with a pumpkin pasty.
–Aaron, there you are!†he shouted, spraying crumbs out of his mouth. –Who’s the bird?â€
He blushed, but Genister affected not to notice and merely pushed past him with her trunk. Watching her go, he wondered again whether to help, but watching a joyous reunion with Weasley would have made him vomit more than the sight of Ewan eating, so with scowl he re-entered the carriage.
After answering his friend’s questions with brief yes and no replies, Aaron picked up his camera and started to fiddle with it. Ewan hated having his picture taken, and turned away, telling him he was going to sleep. Pleased his ruse had worked (and he no longer had to talk about his holidays, or OWL results, or NEWTs) , Aaron sat back in his seat contemplating the countryside and wondering how the hell he was going to get through the next week, let alone the next two years.
–I give you a term, and then you’ll come crawling back home, begging me for a job!†His father’s last remark had been.
And instead of pleading with him. Instead of trying to placate by promising he’d come back at Christmas and Easter to work for his father, Aaron had shouted back that he’d manage fine, that he’d already bought all his books and nothing was bringing him back - not now, not ever!
It had been a petulant response, but fresh from a trip to Diagon Alley where he’d managed to pick up second-hand text books, Aaron hadn’t cared. It was later, when the house-elf was packing his trunk that he realised he’d left no money for new clothes.
–Whoa, what’s happened?†Ewan started laughing when Aaron got changed as they approached Hogwarts.
–Damn house-elf has packed the wrong robes,†Aaron replied belligerently. Daisy Flint was right; he had grown. And looking down, nothing could disguise the gap between his shoes and robe hem. It hadn’t been noticeable when he was wearing shorts, but now a good five inches of calf gaped through.
Still laughing at him, Ewan pulled on his own robes (new for this year, Aaron noted sourly), as the Hogwarts Express arrived at the station.
If he’d thought no one would notice the old robes, he was mistaken. As the children of Nathaniel Harper, Aaron and his sister were always dressed in the best. With Sophia obviously wearing new robes, the comparison with Aaron could not have been stronger.
–What happened to you, rich boy?†he heard someone jeer. –Someone cast an Extension Charm on your legs?â€
–More like a Shrinking Charm on his clothes,†another voice said, laughing. Aaron turned around, recognising the obnoxious voice of Hugo Weasley, looking all the more obnoxious because he was draped all over Genister. About to walk away, not wanting to let Weasley know he’d got to him, he took a step back, but as the laughter persisted, he turned around and strode over to the group.
He’d always been slightly afraid of the Weasley and Potter clan. There were so many of them, and the boys were all taller, broader, and they seemed to ooze confidence. He’d kept out of their way, which had been relatively easy as he’d only shared lessons with Lily and Hugo, and being a Slytherin it was easy to find reasons not to mix with them. But now, his frustration with everything overrode his trepidation.
–Want to say something to my face, Weasley, instead of behind my back!†he said, smiling when he realised that close up he was now a mere hair’s breadth shorter than his enemy. –Not so cocky with someone your own size, are you?†he hissed.
–Er...†Weasley took a small step back and raised one hand. –Joke, Harper, joke.â€
–I don’t like having the piss taken out of me, all right,†Aaron replied, staring intently into Weasley’s eyes and rather enjoying the uncertainty flickering in them.
–Aaron,†Genister intervened, not quite stepping between them, but her hand touched him on the arm, –Hugo didn’t mean anything. It’s only because you usually dress so... um... smart.â€
Aaron took a deep breath and then turned away. He heard Weasley mutter, ‘I think you mean like a tosser, not smart,’, then shout ‘OW’ after someone (he hoped it was Genister,) obviously whacked him.
–He’s okay,†he thought she murmured.
Despite having to watch Genister and Weasley enact their reunion at every possible moment in the Great Hall and the Entrance Hall, Aaron was pleased to be back at Hogwarts. The urge to punch Weasley faded as he concentrated on his new timetable, and he was especially heartened when Professor Longbottom pulled him to one side and declared that despite the Acceptable, he would still let him take Herbology to NEWT.
–I looked over your theory paper, Harper, and you were close to Exceeds Expectations so I have no qualms about your ability to NEWT, although there is a lot more work.â€
–Thanks, sir, but I don’t have the books.â€
–Not a problem. There are plenty of old ones in the store cupboard. You may use them until you receive your new ones.†He hesitated as he looked Aaron up and down. –The syllabus hasn’t changed much from my day, so you don’t even need the new book, if I’m honest with you.â€
As Aaron left Professor Longbottom’s study, he wondered if he knew about his father’s stance or whether it was just a stab in the dark. Enormously grateful to the man for his tact, he was still embarrassed to be in this position, but realised things could have been far worse. He had his books, he had his cameras, and he was away from the claustrophobia of the Harper household. He had five Galleons, and even though that would barely keep him in Butterbeer for the term, it was better than nothing. The only blot as far as he could see was a red haired one in the form of Weasley.
–Aaron, very pleased to see you’ve signed up to my class,†said Professor Trescothick heartily.
–One of my best subjects, sir,†he replied. –There was no way I was going to drop it.â€
–And you will be signing up for Photography Club.†The professor’s voice was certain, making a statement of fact rather than asking a question.
Hell, Photography Club. Fifteen Galleons a term.
–Uh, not sure, Professor. I need to concentrate on school work, really.â€
The professor’s face fell. –I was rather hoping-–
–Sorry, sir, it’s just impossible,†he broke in before the Professor could say any more.
Other pupils were coming in now, so with a sigh, Trescothick nodded, and Aaron returned to his desk. He brooded for the rest of the lesson on his finances. The five Galleons suddenly seeming a whole lot less, and Merlin only knew when he’d get anymore. Sophia’s mother might have been a soft touch at the station, but ensconced in her house and lunching with her friends, she would soon forget she had a child. There’d be the odd treat parcels and occasional letter, but their dad would insist no money was sent.
That night he thought again over his options. Did he have anything he could sell? His dress robes, although worn, were still of good quality, but would anyone be interested in them? His books were all old, and he wasn’t skilled enough at anything to tutor anyone through OWLs - that type of money could only be earned by the top students, usually impecunious Ravenclaws in their sixth year. Eventually he rolled onto his side and closed his eyes. The best he could hope for was that his dad would accept he was serious and change his mind.
A forlorn hope, but it was all he had.
Diffraction by Equinox Chick
Story Notes:
Aaron Harper and Genister Avery had minor roles in my Scorpius/Lily fic, High. It is not necessary to read that to understand this, but what the heck, you might well enjoy it.
Chapter Endnotes: Reviews are really rather lovely.