Darren had just co out of the common room that morning when he saw Harry and Hermione waiting outside.
Harry looked furious.
The mont Darren realized Ron was not with them, he already guessed what had happened—but he still pretended not to know.
"Where's Ron?" Darren asked innocently. "Still sleeping?"
"Him?" Harry snapped. "He won't even talk to now!"
He shoved a sandwich into Darren's hand.
"Breakfast in the Great Hall was already over. We overslept, so this is all we managed to bring you."
"Thanks, brother!"
Darren imdiately devoured it.
During the past few days, he had been eating French dishes and had stopped asking Paige to make breakfast. Who would've known that today, Slytherin would surround him the mont he stepped out?
Cassandra and the others had pulled him aside and lectured him nonstop—about being careful, about survival, about retreating when necessary.
In short: run if you have to.
Darren naturally nodded along obediently.
They even forced several protection charms and amulets into his hands.
Even Malfoy had given him one.
"Carry it on you. Don't just throw it anywhere."
Darren examined them.
All genuine protection charms.
Only problem?
He didn't actually need them.
Most of the coming trouble… was sothing he had arranged himself.
Still, he accepted them with gratitude.
Probably out of embarrassnt, they eventually shoved him out.
He noticed so of them were holding breakfast—likely ant for him.
Unfortunately, because of the awkward atmosphere, he didn't get a single bite.
He was starving.
So when Harry handed him the sandwich, it might as well have been gold.
He ate eagerly.
Hermione then led them toward the Black Lake and pulled a bottle of juice from her pocket.
Darren, assuming it was for him, took it without hesitation and drank half of it in one breath.
"Good thing you brought juice, Hermione," he said seriously. "Otherwise I might've choked."
Hermione froze.
Her face slowly turned red.
Darren finally realized sothing was off.
"…This was yours, wasn't it?"
She nodded slightly.
Darren cleared his throat and decided to change the subject.
"So… you and Ron argued?" he asked softly. "Was it because of ?"
"Oh, no," Harry said angrily. "It was about !"
Then he told Darren about the fight from the night before.
The more he spoke, the angrier he beca.
"I don't understand him! I've always treated him as my best friend. How could he think that of ?"
Darren sighed inwardly.
Jealousy.
The most human flaw of all.
Nobody could escape it.
If he were truly Harry's brother… without powers, without talent, without luck…
Maybe he'd feel the sa way.
Harry shined too brightly.
Hermione shined too brightly.
Even he shined too brightly.
And Ron?
Ron was just Ron.
Harry saw Darren smiling and frowned.
"You're laughing at a ti like this?"
"I'm not laughing at you," Darren replied calmly. "I'm just… understanding Ron."
Harry stared.
"Understanding?"
"Brother," Darren said gently, "Ron is jealous. He's jealous of your fa. Of Hermione's brilliance. Of how everyone seems to like ."
Harry opened his mouth but couldn't speak.
Darren continued quietly.
"He's always lived in the shadows of others—his brothers, his family, then you. Everything he owns is second-hand. Even his wand wasn't his first choice."
Harry clenched his fists harder.
"From his point of view," Darren went on, "you beca famous without trying. Hermione succeeded effortlessly. And I… walked in as your younger brother and was accepted imdiately."
Harry swallowed.
"He's proud of us," Darren said. "But pride can coexist with pain. Watching others shine doesn't make you better—it only makes you feel smaller."
"Then… why didn't he say it?" Harry asked hoarsely.
"Because you were friends," Darren replied. "And friends don't want to admit that kind of weakness."
Harry fell silent.
After a mont, he whispered, "You… you've known all this?"
"Yes," Darren nodded. "I've always known."
Harry stared at him as if seeing him for the first ti.
"Then… what about you?" Harry asked softly.
Darren smiled faintly.
"I understood jealousy the first ti I found out I had an older brother."
Harry froze.
"I was jealous that you had parents," Darren said quietly.
"I was jealous that the professors worried about you instead of .
I was jealous that everyone only cared whether I might endanger you… not whether I might be hurt."
Harry's eyes trembled.
"No," he said imdiately. "It was always you protecting ! You never endangered !"
Darren patted his shoulder.
"Who knows?"
[Ding, Father Value 100]
[Ding, Father Value 100]
"I didn't know anything," Harry said hoarsely.
"I thought… everyone was just kind to you."
"I'm fine now," Darren said with a soft smile. "If I wasn't, I'd have left long ago. I'm not that foolish."
[Ding, Father Value 100]
[Ding, Father Value 100]
Harry could finally understand it.
Darren had endured loneliness, envy, loss—and never once complained.
He only smiled.
Harry pulled him into a sudden hug.
"Don't be this kind anymore," he said weakly. "I'd rather you be immature like Ron… at least then I'd still feel like your older brother."
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