Harry Potter: The Golden Viper

0660 Conversation

For the small group of people from the wizarding world, the experience of dining alongside the Muggle children and staff at Hurst Orphanage was unusual and amazing.

As they settled into their seats on the second-floor dining hall, surrounded by the cheerful chatter and laughter of over a hundred young voices, Harry and his group couldn't help but marvel at the intense sense of joy and contentment that seemed to permeate the air around them.

Every face they laid eyes upon was filled with a smile of pure happiness, as if the simple act of sharing a meal that, while perhaps not overly lavish or extravagant, was nevertheless deeply satisfying.

It was in stark contrast to the often reserved and formal atmosphere that tended to permeate the Great Hall of Hogwarts, where an invisible but ever-present divide seemed to separate the four houses, even in moments of shared celebration.

Here, however, there was no trace of such barriers. The children and staff of the orphanage interacted with an ease and familiarity like they were a family in every sense of the word, perhaps united by the shared experiences and challenges of their unique circumstances.

Watching them laugh and joke together, playfully pushing for space at the long tables and passing platters of steaming food back and forth, it was impossible not to be caught up in the infectious warmth of their harmony.

Under the influence of this overwhelmingly positive atmosphere, the wizarding folks quickly found themselves shedding the initial awkwardness and reserve that had accompanied their arrival.

Sirius, in particular, seemed to come alive in the presence of so much unconstrained joy, his eyes were sparkling with a childlike delight as he watched the children's antics with a grin of pure pleasure.

"I have to say," He continued to look over at the children who were laughing, making noise, and fighting over food, and sighed with heartfelt emotion, "this place is really something special. It almost makes me think that growing up in an orphanage wouldn't be such a bad thing, if it were anything like this."

Beside him, Remus smiled knowingly, well aware of the less-than-ideal circumstances that had accompanied his Sirius's early life.

As the black sheep of the notoriously strict and tradition-bound Most Ancient and noble House of Black, Sirius had always been under the oppressive expectations and demands placed upon him, while he was yearning for freedom and acceptance that had forever seemed just out of reach.

To see him now, so clearly enchanted by the relaxed warmth and support that flowed so freely among the orphanage residents, was a bittersweet reminder of all that he had been denied in his youth.

"It's true," Remus agreed, his own gaze drifting to where Bryan stood, carefully shredding the meat from a chicken leg for a young boy whose arm hung limply at his side, clearly disabled in some way. "An orphanage like this is a rare and precious thing. Without Bryan's influence and support, I think the lives of these children would probably be very difficult-"

Sirius nodded, his expression sobering as he followed Remus's line of sight. "He's a remarkable man," he said sniffing quietly while his voice was filled with emotion. "A truly remarkable wizard, in every sense of the word."

Harry, Hermione, and Ron were also sneaking glances at Professor Watson. Their admiration for him also reached an unprecedented height. Previously, Professor Watson had mostly earned people's respect through his personality and powerful magical power. Only today did they notice the dazzling light of his character hidden within his body.

For Harry, especially, the realization was a deep one. Having grown up starved for affection and care, treated as little more than a burden and an inconvenience by the relatives who had taken him in, he felt a powerful kinship with the orphaned children who surrounded him now.

Lost in their own thoughts and reflections, the wizarding group almost didn't notice the approach of a small, chubby-cheeked girl, no more than three years old, who tottered up to Hermione's side with a look of fierce concentration on her face. In her outstretched hand, she clutched a brightly colored box, which she thrusted insistently in Hermione's direction.

"For you," The little girl said in a clear sweet voice, "For you to eat."

"Oh, my goodness, Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans!" Ron exclaimed, recognizing the distinctive packaging of the wizarding world's most famous candy. "Where did you manage to get these... Oh, wait, I remember now! It was Professor Wats- I mean, Mr. Watson who gave them to you?!"

"These are for me?" Hermione asked softly, rising from her seat to crouch down beside the adorable Muggle girl. Her heart was overflowing with gratitude and affection for the tiny gesture of kindness.

"Mm-hmm!" The little girl nodded enthusiastically, her cute face breaking into a wide, infectious grin.

As soon as Hermione accepted the box of Every Flavor Beans, the little girl burst into delighted giggles. With a quick spin, she darted away from Hermione and threw herself into the arms of a young boy who stood just a table away.

The boy, who appeared to be a few years shy of Hogwarts' enrollment age, had curly brown hair and his eyes sparkled with a mischievous energy.

Gently ruffling the little girl's hair, the boy passed her off to a waiting companion at a nearby table. Then, with a sneaky glance in Bryan's direction, he turned back to the group of wizards and flashed them a cheeky grin. Silently, he mouthed a friendly greeting, his lips forming the words "Hello" without making a sound.

Interested by the boy's playful demeanor, Sirius couldn't help but smile in return. He responded in kind, mimicking the boy's silent greeting with a wink.

The boy's eyes widened with delight as he realized that these colleagues of Bryan were far more approachable than he had initially thought. Encouraged by this realization, little Hammer sprang out from behind his chair, practically bouncing with excitement as he made his way over to the wizarding group. The other boys around him quickly shuffled aside, making room for him.

"I'm Hammer Lane, but everyone around here calls me little Hammer!" Little Hammer's eyes were shining brightly with enthusiasm. He looked at Sirius and said curiously, "I heard you are colleagues of brother Bryan from the drilling company he works in. Is that right?"

'Drilling company?'

The term caught Sirius and Remus off guard, and they exchanged puzzled glances, their eyes mirroring each other's confusion. 'What in Merlin's name was a drilling machine? Some sort of machine like those cars that Muggles frequently used? And what did it have to do with Bryan?'

Fortunately, Harry, who had been listening to the exchange with growing amusement and knew more of the 'inside story' coughed heavily choosing that moment to intervene.

"Ah, yes, hello there, Lane- or should I say, little Hammer. You're absolutely right, we are indeed employees of that drilling company, Grunnings Drills!"

The children sitting around them leaned in closer, their ears perking with interest as they eagerly eavesdropped on the conversation.

Thrilled by Harry's confirmation, little Hammer's face lit up like a Lumos spell. He cast a quick glance at Hermione and Ron before focusing his attention back on Harry. "I also heard that you're currently interning at that company, is that correct, Mr. Potter?"

"Please, just call me Harry," Harry said, feeling a bit uncomfortable under the weight of little Hammer's eager gaze. He pursed his lips and nodded. "Yes, that's right... We are all interning at Grunnings. Uh, you know, it's part of our school's standard internship program, you see."

"And which school might that be?" a girl around Harry's age spoke, her voice was tinged with genuine curiosity.

"Hog- Oh!" Harry nearly blurted out "Hogwarts" before catching himself just in time. Thinking quickly, he racked his brain for the names of schools that Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had considered sending Dudley to during his time living with the Dursleys.

"Heathgate Secondary School, Hammer. That's where we're students!" Harry managed to say, his words tumbling out in a breathless rush.

To his immense relief, Little Hammer and the other children who had gathered around to listen seemed to accept this answer without question.

"Oh, I've heard of that place!" the girl who asked that question exclaimed, casting an envious look at Harry, Hermione, and Ron. "It's quite a well-known secondary school in the Hampstead area, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it... it has a bit of a reputation," Harry agreed, relieved that his spur-of-the-moment bluff had worked. He swiped a hand across his forehead, wiping away the beads of sweat that had formed there.

"So, tell me!" Little Hammer was clearly interested in more than just this. He craned his neck and raised his voice slightly, "If I also wanted to intern at Grunnings too, what would I need to do? Are there a bunch of forms to fill out? Do I have to be a certain age or meet any other requirements?"

Harry found himself at a loss for words, unsure of how to respond to the little boy's eager inquiries. Fortunately, Hermione stepped in, giving little Hammer a warm smile. "You know, Hammer, those are excellent questions. I think it would be best for you to discuss the specifics of the internship program with Mr. Watson himself. He's the one in charge of handling those matters within the company."

Little Hammer's face fell slightly, and he mumbled something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like, "I already tried asking him, but he wouldn't give me a straight answer." However, he quickly shook off his disappointment and pressed on with another question. "So, why exactly are you lot here looking for brother Bryan, anyway?"

Remus looked at the energetic young boy who was a bit like young Sirius with a patient smile. "Well, Hammer, we do have some rather important business to discuss with Mr. Bryan," he explained. "Very important, in fact. We need to report to him directly and await further instructions. Of course, as you might imagine, this involves some highly confidential company matters, so I'm afraid we can't reveal any details to anyone else."

As the conversation continued, more and more children gathered around, drawn by the friendly and approachable nature of the wizarding group. They bombarded Harry and his friends with a barrage of questions, most of which revolved around Bryan's role and responsibilities at the company.

Thankfully, Harry knew some of the inside story which allowed him to navigate the interrogation with some degree of success, although he found himself relying heavily on his ability to improvise and think on his feet.

Throughout it all, Bryan remained preoccupied with his own tasks, neatly maneuvering through the crowd of children without drawing too much attention to himself. He occasionally glanced over at the lively exchange taking place with a subtle smile on his lips, but refrained from interjecting or giving any additional information.

At one-point, little Hammer crept up to Hermione, singling her out perhaps as the only female within the wizarding group. Before voicing his question, he casted a stealthy glance in Bryan's direction, as if ensuring that the man was out of hearing range. Then, with a mischievous grin, he lowered his voice and asked, "Hey, Miss Granger, do you know if brother Bryan has a girlfriend at the company?"

This question seemed to be a hot topic at the orphanage. The children were all drawn to this question and looked at Hermione eagerly awaiting an answer.

"G-girlfriend?" Hermione stammered, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry, but I'm not entirely sure about that. As far as I know, I don't believe he does, but I could be mistaken..."

A collective sigh of disappointment rippled through the gathered children. Little Hammer shook his head, showing an exaggeratedly adult-like manner. "Ah, well, that's just like him, isn't it? He's never been particularly good at these matters, our dear brother Bryan. Such a shame, really. Wouldn't it be wonderful if he could find happiness with sister Cliodna?"

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