Hagrid found him sitting on a large boulder near the lake, watching the glittering surface change colours as the sun began to set.
"'ello 'arry," Hagrid greeted the younger wizard cautiously.
"Hagrid," Harry didn't take his gaze off the surface of the lake. "Did they send you out here after me?"
Hagrid settled down on the ground beside the boulder, before he answered. "No, I came on me own. Thought ye might want someone ta talk to."
"Well you were wrong." Harry told him. "You and I have nothing to talk about. You chose your side last year and it wasn't mine."
"I don't know what yer talkin' about." Hagrid sounded confused. "I never chose anyone's side."
"Oh, but you did, Hagrid." Harry countered. "I know that you were the one who kept Remus from coming to that farce of a trial the Ministry gave me."
"On Dumbledore's orders," Hagrid told him. "He didn't want Lupin puttin' 'imself at risk. I was the only one strong enough ta keep him 'ere at Hogwarts."
"Exactly," Harry nodded in confirmation. "You chose Dumbledore over me. During my time in Azkaban, it would have been nice to know that someone out here didn't think I was capable of murdering Neville."
Hagrid stared at him shocked. "I never thought you murdered Longbottom. An' my bein' there would'a done ye no good. I couldn't a stood up fer ye, me bein' a half-giant 'n all. They never would'a listened ta me."
"You wouldn't have had to testify on my behalf. All you would have had to do was let me know you were there for me but you didn't do that." Harry told him. "If I had known you and Remus believed in me and that you weren't there as a part of the group that was convinced I was guilty, it would've been a great comfort to me, but in choosing to do what Dumbledore told you, you denied me that. You chose the easy way out by remaining silent, instead of standing up for what you believed. You wouldn't do for me what I had done for you more than once. I stood by you and helped you when you did stupid things, like trying to keep a dragon, when you knew it was illegal not to mention dangerous for you to do so. And I risked my life to help clear you of the charges that got you sent to Azkaban when the Chamber of Secrets was reopened. Not to mention got you cleared of the original charges that got you expelled from Hogwarts."
There was a pause as Harry got to his feet. "So you see we have nothing to talk about. You and I clearly have different ideas about loyalty and what being a friend is. You stay with the side you chose and leave me alone."
Hagrid watched as Harry walked back up to the castle, and tears filled his eyes at the realisation that he had lost a very precious gift… Harry's friendship and he didn't have any idea about how to get it back.
...
Dumbledore entered the Staff room after dinner his face solemn. The only prefect missing was Draco Malfoy, but he knew from Professor McGonagall that it might take some time to figure out how to reverse the transfiguration spell.
"I will get to the most important matter first, so that the Prefects and the Head Boy and Girl can be about their duties." Dumbledore began. "With Professor Snape no longer here, you will need to keep a close watch on the students in your Houses. I am not blind nor have I ever been blind to how Professor Snape favoured his own House and allowed them to get away with things that he would punish the students of the other Houses for. Those students, who have been ill-treated by the Slytherins, may try and revenge themselves against the perpetrators, since they no longer have to worry about retribution from Professor Snape." He paused for a moment eyeing the Slytherin Prefects earnestly. "Slytherin Prefects, I must also ask you to keep a watchful eye on those in your House. They may also decide that the absence of Professor Snape gives them license to get vengeance of their own for acts perpetrated on them, or their families."
All the Prefects, Head Boy and Girl agreed to do their best to keep things from getting out of hand between the houses, given the absence of Snape, who they all agreed had been the only thing holding the other Houses in check from trying to get any kind of revenge on the Slytherins. They also acknowledged at least privately that Snape was the one who had kept the Slytherins marginally under control. The teachers also agreed to help, since the Prefects, Head Boy and Girl couldn't be everywhere.
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