Sean didn't immediately open the note Snape had given him.
It wasn't until he had returned to his room and completed his nightly ablutions that Sean finally sat down at his desk, unfolded the parchment, and examined its contents. The names of twelve advanced, potion-related books were neatly written upon it. His initial reaction was surprise, quickly followed by a profound sense of gratitude.
Sean's prevailing impression of Snape had always been one of cold indifference and deep, underlying tragedy. He had never imagined that he would witness such a distinctly human, almost considerate, side of the formidable Potions Master.
To be perfectly honest, during the Potions Club meeting earlier that evening, there had been a fleeting moment when Sean had genuinely considered temporarily withdrawing from the group. He had quickly realized that he truly couldn't keep pace with the advanced level of their discussions. Sean's current proficiency in Potions might have been considered excellent, perhaps even top-tier, among first or even second-year students. But when compared to the elite, highly experienced members of the Potions Club, his skills still seemed somewhat lacking, a step behind.
Now, with this curated book list from Snape, although it wouldn't magically or immediately elevate Sean's practical abilities, it was equivalent to having a shortcut clearly pointed out to him. It provided a focused path, allowing him to potentially catch up to those who were already far ahead. This, Sean recognized, was an immense and invaluable help.
After carefully committing the names of the books on the note to memory, Sean placed the parchment into his desk drawer for safekeeping before finally getting into bed, his mind still replaying the unexpected encounter.
The next morning, during breakfast in the Great Hall, Blaise leaned over, his voice low. "Sean, have you heard? Malfoy seems to be planning a duel with that Savior from Gryffindor, Harry Potter."
"A duel?"
Sean, who had become exceptionally sensitive to the very word "duel" due to its connection with his panel, immediately had his attention captured by Blaise's words. He swallowed the mouthful of oatmeal he had been eating, looked at Blaise, and asked, "Malfoy is going to duel Harry?"
Perhaps because they now belonged to different, traditionally rivalrous Houses, and because of the long-standing feud between those Houses, Sean's interactions with Harry had become significantly less frequent. At most, they would exchange a polite greeting if they happened to cross paths in the corridors, or perhaps engage in a brief, superficial chat if they found themselves in the same class. After all, from Harry's perspective, Sean was now a Slytherin – a member of the House notorious for producing Dark Wizards.
Although Sean felt a slight pang of regret about this growing distance, he didn't allow himself to feel overly saddened by it. Mentally, he wasn't truly an eleven or twelve-year-old child; his soul belonged to an adult, and he possessed a certain degree of experience in letting go, in accepting the inevitable ebb and flow of relationships.
Overall, however, Harry was still considered, at least by Sean, to be a friend. Therefore, when he heard that Malfoy had apparently challenged Harry to a duel, he instinctively felt that something was amiss. After all, he knew very well that someone like Malfoy was, at his core, a spoiled, arrogant young master. If he wanted to annoy someone, to verbally torment them, he would undoubtedly succeed. But the idea that Malfoy would willingly risk being defeated and physically injured by challenging Harry Potter to a genuine duel was something Sean simply didn't believe for a second.
What's more, Sean vaguely recalled from his fragmented memories of the original stories that Harry seemed to have encountered some unfortunate accidents or mishaps in connection with a supposed duel with Malfoy around this time. Although Harry had ultimately emerged unharmed, Sean felt that, as a friend, he should at least offer a word of caution.
"Blaise," Sean asked, "did Harry actually agree to this duel?"
"I heard that he did agree," Blaise replied, "but I didn't really pay attention to the specifics."
"Alright, thanks for the information."
Sean wiped his mouth with a napkin, then glanced towards the Gryffindor long table. He noticed that Harry and Ron had just finished their breakfast and were preparing to leave the Great Hall. He thought for a moment, then turned to Blaise and said, "Blaise, could you hold my books for me? I'm going to head over there for a moment."
Seeing Sean get up to leave, Blaise immediately grabbed his wrist, his expression concerned. He asked in a low voice, "Sean, you're not seriously thinking of going to warn that Savior, are you?"
Looking down at Blaise, Sean nodded slightly.
Seeing Sean confirm his intentions, Blaise frowned and said again, his voice urgent, "Sean, I know your relationship with the Savior is reasonably amicable, but genuine friendship rarely, if ever, blossoms between a Slytherin and a Gryffindor. You might be sincere in your intentions towards the Savior, but there's no guarantee that he will trust you, or even listen to what you have to say."
Sean knew Blaise's worries were well-founded, and he was, in fact, very clear about the potential complications involved. Therefore, Sean nodded slightly again and said to Blaise, "Blaise, don't worry, I am mentally prepared for that possibility. I'm simply fulfilling what I perceive to be my duty as a friend. Whether he chooses to heed my warning or not, success or failure in that regard won't particularly affect me."
Looking at Sean and confirming that he wasn't just being dismissive or perfunctory, Blaise finally nodded slowly. "Since you're already mentally prepared," he said, "I won't try to persuade you any further. Just be careful yourself, and try not to let others notice your interaction."
The "others" Blaise was referring to were, of course, the other Slytherins. Sean understood what Blaise meant. He nodded, stood up, and followed closely behind Harry and Ron as they exited the Great Hall.
"Harry!" Sean called out.
Hearing someone call his name, Harry immediately turned around. Seeing that it was Sean, he quickly walked over to meet him. In fact, in Harry's heart, Sean had always been considered a friend. It was just that due to the various events that had transpired since the start of term, he had felt a certain degree of awkwardness and distance growing between them. But it wasn't to the point where he would pretend not to know Sean.
"Sean," Harry said, a hint of curiosity in his voice, "is there something you need me for?"
The news of Sean's Pure-Blood Duel with Jensen, and his subsequent victory, had also managed to spread to the other Houses. Harry, for one, was quite impressed by Sean's courage in accepting a challenge from a second-year student. This admiration, in part, was also why Harry had so readily agreed to Malfoy's challenge.
Sean guided Harry and Ron to a secluded corner of the corridor adjacent to the Great Hall. He then asked in a low, serious voice, "Harry, I heard that you're planning to duel Malfoy?"
"That's right," Harry confirmed, nodding his head with a determined expression. "I've already agreed to Malfoy's challenge!"
"Harry, listen to me carefully," Sean said, his voice earnest. "Given Malfoy's typical personality, him challenging you to a duel is almost certainly some kind of scheme. If I were in your position, I would definitely not go to the supposed meeting place tonight. If you do, you'll most likely fall straight into Malfoy's trap."
Hearing Sean's words, Ron, who had been standing by silently, looked startled. He glanced from Sean to Harry, clearly wanting to say something but remaining silent, just watching the exchange between Sean and Harry with a nervous expression.
Harry frowned slightly, pondered Sean's words for a moment, then shook his head. "Sean," he said, "it's not that I don't believe you. But whether or not Malfoy actually intends to show up, as long as there's even the slightest possibility that he might be there, I have to go. I don't want to be seen as a coward."
"Harry, I'm not telling you to be a coward," Sean insisted. "What I'm saying is that Malfoy almost certainly won't show up for a fair duel. In fact, it's highly probable that he's set some kind of trap for you. If you go, you'll be walking right into it."
"I'll bear the consequences of my own actions," Harry replied stiffly. "Thank you for your concern, Sean."
After delivering this curt response, Harry turned and walked away.
Ron shot Sean a quick, apologetic look, then hurried after Harry's retreating figure.
Watching Harry and Ron leave, Sean shook his head with a sigh of helpless resignation. He had said what he needed to say; he had fulfilled his duty as a friend. Since Harry was insistent on going, then he would let him go. Ultimately, life was his own, and no one could truly control the choices of others.
It was just that, Sean mused, after this incident, regardless of the eventual outcome, his friendship with Harry was probably coming to an end. But, in a way, that was fine too. Being Harry Potter's friend, he was beginning to realize, wasn't an easy undertaking. Becoming friends with Harry in the first place had been somewhat unexpected, and perhaps it was for the best if they both went their separate ways now, each focusing on their own paths.
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