#like the Excitement i felt when they won the quidditch cup??? yes that’s exactly what i felt here

[misguidedasgardian]

The Lifeaters (I.10)

X. The Housecup

MASTERLIST

Chapter Summary: It was too good to be true

Pairings: Draco Malfoy x Fem!Reader (platonic)

Warnings: Cursing, magical objects, Mugglephobia, clasism, others.

Wordcount: 2.1 k

Notes: Last chapter of the “season” hehehe

Potter was nowhere to be seen and because of that… Gryffindor had been completely DESTROYED By Ravenclaw… and… putting up the points they both gathered…

You were cheering as the Slytherin Quidditch team raised the Quidditch cup in their hands.

Everyone else looked gloomy, maybe because the team had won with this one eight times in a row! it was great! 

You wondered where Potter went

For Draco, it was one of his best birthdays ever! You sang to him happy birthday in the great hall when dessert was being served, and you used a cupcake as a birthday cake. His mother sent him a big one with his owl, and you sang to him again at night in the common room. He didn’t get many gifts, but the promise to celebrate when he was home when the holidays started! You gifted him a picture of the two of you in your Slytherin uniforms. 

It was great!

But the next day, in the great hall… everyone was talking about where Potter was.

Apparently the forbidden corridor in the third floor hid a magical artifact, some sort of rock that could give the one that squished it? you didn’t know the details but it was important, apparently professor Quirrel tried to steal it, and of course Potter stopped him, AND… he was some sort of hero… apparently

“And professor Quirrell is dead!”, told Blaise, who managed to always know everything about everyone

“He’s dead?!”, asked Mattheo, surprised, then he sighed in relief, “oh, I owed him like three assignments”, he giggled, and you were horrified

He seemed so nice! And he was around stealing rocks? who knew! so Potter, after fighting him, was in the infirmary, that is why he missed the game, and that is why Ravenclaw “flattened” Gryffindor

But this gave you a sense of worry, next year Harry was going to play too, hopefully you too, so you needed to be better and not count on Potter not being there, you needed to win every game!

You had a new sense of determination.

The last mail entered the hall in that minute, Umbra threw you a envelope with your aunt’s seal in it, and you knew exactly what it was, alongside a small package

There were sweets, taking a page of Narcissa’s book you thought

The letter stated what you already sort of new, congratulations on the passing of exams and winning the Quidditch cup, and also, mentioning your coming trip to France to see your family, you were happy. 

Not Draco though, he seemed appalled, he wanted to practice Quidditch all summer

“I’ll be back by the first week in August”, you assured him, while Matthew stole your treats and ate them himself. Everytime you interacted with him, you felt like you wanted to cry, but you didn't want to fight him.

“Well… I’ll bully my parents into going and visit you, your family’s chateau is still in the Loire Valley, right?”

“Last time I checked”, you mocked, and he smiled back, “The gift I got in Christmas came with season tickets, I’ll be attending a few matches for the Quiberons”, you said with a wide exciting smile, “So I can get inspired”, you said proudly

“My dad got us tickets for the Tornadoes”, muttered Draco

“I love Quidditch season”, muttered Blaise

“As soon as I come back, let’s get together and practice”, you said firmly

“Yes”

“What are you going to do this summer?”, it was the question that lingered all over the last week. Everyone had different plans for the three months

You were so happy, winning the Quidditch cup, the House cup, having passed all your exams, looking forward to a summer with your family and then your friends.

It was too good to be true 

“After an entire year, finally!”, you said, as you walked into the Great Hall and saw the entire room decorated in Slytherin colors. It was the last feast, you were even wearing your pointy ceremonial hats! which you didn't love

You took your seats near the end of the hall, close to the main table where the teachers were seated.

When Potter entered the room, everyone got quiet just to look at him, some even stood up to see up close, as if he was some sort of freak. You didn’t know the details of what happened in the chamber, but it had the entire school rattled.

Professor Dumbledore stood up, catching the attention of everyone.

Draco didn’t like him, but to you he seemed… like sometimes he gets lost in what he is saying, he always spoke so cryptically, you wondered if he was very clever… or if he was just really old.

"Another year gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were... you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts....”, fair example, was he calling you all dumb or something?. 

"Now, as I understand it, the house cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy- two."

Oh how you cheered! you had put in yourself like ten points even after that time you got caught and punished. Draco banged his goblet on the table, you could see the Bloody Baron mocking Half-decapitated Nick.

You personally did not like the bloody Baron, but he was your house’s ghost so… there was nothing to pick.

"Yes, Yes, well done, Slytherin," said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account.", oh the cheering stopped really suddenly

Was he going to tell the entire school Draco and you lost the school points? perhaps they didn’t discount them yet… What if? that you had committed something so outrageous that he was going to publicly humiliate you… only to make you an example?

No way, Potter and his friends had been caught too, right?

"Ahem," said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes…”, you let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding. "First… to Mr. Ronald Weasley..."

You and Draco changed looks

"...for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points". Now it was the Gryffindors’ time to cheer, rattling the table,  "Second… to Miss Hermione Granger... for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points.", what did that even mean? you couldn’t understand it, "Third… to Mr. Harry Potter..." said Dumbledore, “for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."

You tried to count, you didn’t even know… but… 

The Gryffindors were being so loud it was hard to think… were they tied with you now?. Dumbledore raised his hand, the room went quiet suddenly

"There are all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore, smiling. 

“No…”, you whined

"It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."

You had to cover your ears after the Gryffindors exploded 

"Which means we need a little change of decoration.", he clapped his hands and the entire room went from being beautifully Green and Silver… to boring Red and Gold

The serpent vanished to be changed by the Lion, and you didn’t even understand what was going on! why? What happened? Was that even fair? they broke thousands of school rules, they went to that prohibited place… and you were so frustrated you growled. 

Well, at least you had the Quidditch cup! even though you didn’t cooperate for that one… or that much…

You were starting to fear that… instead of taking the Hogwarts express you had taken the Potter express… and because he was in your same year… they were not going to let you come down from it.

The rest of the feast, once your sadness dissipated, was nice, again, it had all your favorites, but it was a magical school, you didn’t think it odd.

You looked around your table, where your Slytherin class was, and you couldn’t help but feel a bit sad… you were not going to see them in the next three months, and honestly, you were going to feel and be a bit lonely, in your house, with your aunt alone… anyways…

“Don’t be sad Basilik”, Flint was passing by, “next year… other cup to win, and you will be there to help us win the Quidditch cup again, are you?”, you nodded enthusiastically, “that’s the spirit”, and he kept walking, you looked further down the table and Terrence Higgs raised his goblet to you and you felt so nervous all of a sudden

He was the team’s seeker, but your best friend also wanted to be the team’s seeker and there couldn't be two seekers… oh

Well… let the best seeker win, right?

So you tried to push those thoughts from your mind as you kept enjoying the feast

Next year is going to be even better, right?

Right!?

Soon you were packing your trunk, you had to go and pick up Umbra from the Owlery, 

The girls were all hyped putting away their own things

“Are we going to have the same rooms next year?”, asked Millicent

“I hope so”, you said lightly, Tracy Davies, who you had barely seen the entire school year, just twisted her mouth, she was more friends with… she was a lone wolf sort of gal.

You had been an only child, you had a family on your mother’s side, far off, but still, but you didn’t have cousins your age, so… you felt very sad to leave Hogwarts and your friends

“I will write to you every week”, promised Draco, “and once Father installs the international floo in our home, i will go and visit you too”

“I don’t think it works that way Dray”, you giggled, as you sat by his side on the train, “but it could be fun”

“Right?” he asked, “Matthew is spending a couple of weeks in my place”

“Why?”, you couldn’t help but ask, you both had been the first ones on the train

“I don’t know”, he answered truthfully, “his family is kinda weird, you know?”

“How so?”, he looked around worried before he leaned in and whispered

“They are purebloods, but because they… keep it in the family”

“What do you mean?”, you asked back, he looked extremely uncomfortable

“They marry between cousins and such”, you didn't find it very weird… many pureblooded families did, “but no second or third cousins”, he corrected, “cousins cousins”

“Oh”, that was weird

“They are this very ancient pure-blooded family, but a couple of generations back, they lost all their family money”, how did he know all this stuff? probably uncle Lucius, “now they are a bit…well…”, he couldn’t keep talking, Matthew himself sat in front of the both of you

“What are you both talking about?”, he asked, he had this bitter look on his face

“Summer, Draco promised he was going to write me all summer”, you changed the subject

“My eagle-owl is just going to have to… cross the ocean”, he said confidently 

“Well, technically it's a channel? I think”, you mumbled nervously

“Umbra can surely make the journey, right?”, he asked, you weren’t sure

“Sure”, Matthew had this gloomy look on his face

“Well, me, for one, I do not look forwards to this summer”, he mumbled, maybe he felt like you, maybe in Hogwarts he had more people around than at his home

“Relax, we are going to hang around in the manor”, said Draco, “and with Crabbe and Goyle”

“That sounds nice”, you offered, “and I’ll be back in August”, you said with a wide smile. 

As the boys talked, you dedicated yourself to look outside the window, Hogwarts disappearing in the distance. It was a magnificent castle, surrounded by breathtaking views, and looking back at the year, it had been a great year… and… looking forwards to the next one… you were certain it was going to be even better

[potter-imagines]

Flowers in Braids (Fred Weasley)

Pairing: Fred Weasley x Reader

Request: Could I request something please? 🧡 I just had a thought, a concept if you will, okay, so, Goblet of Fire Fred, and his gf y/n braiding his hair? 👉🏻👈🏻

Warning: None, just fluff

Word Count: 3k (short n sweet, hope you guys enjoy!)

Cloudy rays poured into the windows of Hogwarta giving a small glimpse to the declining temperatures outside. Crowds of students jogged out beyond the castle grounds all meeting up in the small village outside Hogwarts. Hogsmeade was buzzing with life as where the castle was empty besides the students who had yet to reach the age of permission to even enter Hogsmeade. Despite the younger kids cooped up inside their dorm rooms and wandering around the grounds, your boyfriend, Fred Weasley, and yourself had chosen to skip out.

The two of you were locked away in his dorm room, chatting amongst yourself as you kneeled over him, eyes trained on his hair. After working him in for quite some time, you managed to convince Fred to let you give him two French braids. His hair had finally reached the perfectly length and you had been itching for months to try different braids in it.

“Does that feel good, Freddie?”

Your fingertips raked against the skin of his scalp as you reached for another strand. The long orange strands slipped like buttermilk through your grasp. Braiding the outside piece of hair in, you tied it under the middle section of his hair, pulling tightly. Fred jerked back at your force causing his spine to smack against your knee. You mumbled a quick apology, having lost yourself in the rhythm of the weaving pattern. When you braid your own hair, you had conditioned yourself to the scalp piercing pulls. Fred was new to this, so you had to take it easy so he’d let you braid his beautiful locks again. Your boyfriend just smiled smugly with his eyes drawn shut and hummed.

“Mmmhhh.”

Taking a small section of his hair, you braid it into the pile of fiery hair and gave a softer pull to tighten it lightly. The further down you got, the faster your finger moved. Sitting on your knees, you continued weaving while taking a peek at his face. Fred looked half asleep, a small smile displayed across his face. You paused your work to leave a chaste kiss to the side of his rosy cheek. Fred’s eyes pried open by the touch and gazed up at you.

“Is that a yes?” You asked, giggling like a child. Your boyfriend just melted into your touch as you ran your free hand through the left side of his head that wasn’t braided yet. Tracing your fingers through his free strands, Fred leaned further in your touch. He was always a sucker for having you play with his hair.

“Hmmm.”

His hands were folded in his lap, thumbs fiddling quietly. This was by far the most relaxed you had seen him- besides when he was snoring in slumber. Fred was your crazy, energetic, childlike, prankster boyfriend. Although now, he was the exact opposite to his normal demeanor. He hardly uttered a word, basking in the sensation of your touch and pull. His breathing deepened, heavy puffs falling from his chest. You stared for a moment longer then wrapped your hand around the side of his face, other hand holding the end of the braid. Leaning him back a tip, you leaned down to plant a kiss to his lips. Fred grinned against your lips, but soon enough kissed you back sweetly. Whispering you used your hand to guide his head away, closer to the blanket resting on the bed.

“Tilt your head down, love.” You directed him. His ginger hair was as soft as silk, draping over your knuckles with every twist. As your fingers brushed against his neck, you could feel the vibrations of his soothing hums. Reaching around his tall frame, you grabbed a small rubber band and scrunched it around your hand. Hitting the end of the braid, you wrapped the band around the bottom of his hair with ease. Giving one last pull, you took a look at the first finished braid.

“Lemme see, darling.” Fred made grabby hands behind his back motioning for the mirror. You handed him the oval shaped pastel pink mirror and watched on in anticipation. Fred’s eyes roamed your work, examining every detail of your nearly perfectly french braid. He reached up in surprise and lightly tapped the tight weaves. 

“Wicked. Are you planning on finishing the otherside or am I meant to walk around like this?” He asked laughing. Handing the mirror back to you, Fred settled into his previous spot, his back pressed to your knees. You giggled at the sight of him. One braid was secured stiffly on one side of his head while his strawberry locks laid past his shoulder on the other side. You rose up so you were kneeling. Fred was quite tall, his towering height made it difficult to see over the top of his head. Grabbing your comb from the mattress, you curled your fingers around the top section, dividing it into three equal strands. You brushed through the pillow soft mane, another hum sounding from Fred.

“What do you think the next task is gonna be? The dragons were terrifying! Still can’t believe you were cheering for the killer dragons over our own friend.” The recollection earned a mental scoff. Remembering the events of last week, you wondered about the upcoming second task. The first task was not exactly your cup of tea. Despite your boyfriend’s astonishment and eagerness over the deathly dragons, you were petrified. Fred kept his hand laced in yours for the entirety of the task. As he cheered crazily with George, he’d squeeze your hand in reassurance to let you know he was still paying attention to you. George would give you hugs every few minutes- half to calm you and the other half to piss his twin off.

Fred chuckled again, leaning his head back so he was looking at you from an upside down view. He puckered his lips causing you to roll his eyes but reluctantly gave in and left a kiss to his ready lips.

“I think you mean amazing, love. Harry’s dragon was by far the best!” His thunderous roar filled the room. George and Lee were out at Hogsmeade, joining the rest of your friends for the day. Any other night Fred and yourself would be taking the long stroll to the village with the group. Hogsmeade trips were highly anticipated but for some reason, neither one of you really felt up for the trip. When Fred woke up, his only plan for the day was to remain attached to his bed. Not having any desires for a busy day, you decided to join him.

“Doesn’t mean you have to cheer for it, Fred.” You commented, snickering to yourself. During the first match, you sat in the stands of the Quidditch Pitch- now dragon arena- in between Fred and George. The twins hollered in excitement when the task was announced. Each competitor that came out, the twins looked through and waited anxiously for the reveal of the dragon. In all honesty, they couldn’t care less about who won or who was competing, they only wanted to see the dragons and their mass destruction. Even when your dear friend was almost killed by the fire breathing monster, Fred and George jumped up and down in delight, clapping their hands and screaming happily, “Go, dragon!”. It was a bit embarrassing to be sitting with them as other students sent dirty looks, especially the Hufflepuffs cheering on Cedric. Fred merely shrugged as you threaded the end of his hair,

“But I wanted to. Anyhow, Harry said it’s got something to do with water and George and I saw Dumbledore and Snape out on the Black Lake so I’d say it’ll be some task out there. Now let me see!” Fred whipped around as lightning speed, looking for the handheld mirror. You could see the excitement on his face. Dragging the mirror towards himself, Fred lifted the glass but just as he did, you snatched the mirror away from him.

“Wait, Freddie, I’m not finished. The flowers, remember? I picked out the purple and white ones just for you.” You squeaked. Fred had promised he’d let you stick some flowers in his braid once you finished. With everything inside of him, Fred desperately wanted to scream no. It already took you months to convince

“But… I wanna go show George my braids and if I have flowers in my hair…” He stopped mid thought when he saw your pouty expression. Puppy dog eyes and a puff out bottom lip, you gazed up at Fred with a begging stare. A smile hit his lips immediately as rolled his eyes. “Okay, fine. But I only want the little white ones.”

Grinning in victory you started separating the stems from the petals. Getting the flowers laid out on the large bed, your eyes darted up to Fred in question.

“The daisies?” Holding up the delicate flowers, you raised your brow to Fred. His doe gleam hit yours then down to the miniature flowers. A cheeky smirk flashed across Fred’s face as he flirted,

“The only flower I know is you, darling.”

Your face went deadpan as you shot your giggling boyfriend a playful glare, feigning unamusement. Fred could be extremely sweet when he wants to do and today, that seems to be his main motive. Rolling your e/c eyes you resumed your concentration on his braided hair and the generous pile of daisies laying next to your thigh. Carefully, one by one, you twist the flowers to snap the excess stem off. Then you individually tucked each petallful bud into his locks, cautious not to go overboard like you would in your own binding braids.

The pale petals poked out, It was the kind of brilliant white that would even make new snow look grey, the kind of white that sears into your retinas and makes you temporarily blind. The bright contrast made the pumpkin orange shade of his hair pop in the light. Smoothing your hand over the bumps, you gazed upon your work. Handing the mirror back to Fred, you informed him that you had finished.

“Do you like it, Freddie?” You placed your hands together, hiding your face behind them. This was the first time Fred ever let you even attempt to style his hair, and to Fred Weasley, his hair meant everything. Now in your sixth year, it has reached its peak. Fred and George were very proud of their shoulder length orange locks, and you could understand why. Dating for already three years, you could confidently declare this style was your favorite. This being the reason you yelled in horror after the stunt Fred and George pulled during their entry, or attempt of an entry, for the Tri-Wizard tournament. After he finished tousling and rolling around on the floor with his twin, Fred ran up to you for help. Much to his surprise, you took off like a rocket in the opposite direction. Your friends all laughed at the sight of the twins until tears were streaming down their cheeks. His aged state, and frizzed crazy white hair was too much for you to process all at once. You nearly cried in joy when the prankster came knocking on your door hours later back to his normal state. Back again were his beloved ginger locks. The traumatic event still haunted you. Since then, you never missed a moment to admire his beautiful long hair.

One thing Fred loved was your need to constantly touch his locks. Sitting in class, Fred will lean his head on your shoulder as the professor drones one. Muscle memory kicks in and your free hand will sneak up his back and start running your runnings through his hair. When names were being drawn out of the flaming goblet, Fred sat in front of you with George. He squeezed himself between your legs, his arms resting on your knees. While the headmasters snatched their slips of papers falling from the fire, you’d be fiddling with strands of his hair, petting over the velvet like hair. To Fred, it was always comforting to sense your hands on him, no matter where.

You waited patiently, nervous for his reaction. Fred’s large hands moved the mirror in various spots, trying to get a peek from every possible angle. Eyes raking over the braids, a twinkle beamed on Fred’s lips as he exclaimed,

“It looks wonderful, sweetheart. I’m so proud of you, I love it!” Your heart jumped with happiness at his approval. Throwing your arms around him, Fred maneuvered so he was fully facing you. He returned the hug, gripping your body tightly in his arms. His lips sneaked a quick kiss to your blushing cheek.

“Serious? Or are you just being nice?” You asked softly.

Pulling away, Fred slid you forward so you were sitting practically in his lap. Once more he sealed a peck to your lips, then left a lingering kiss on the tip of your nose.

“No, really, I honestly love it. We gotta go find George and Lee! They should be back soon. But if they ask for you to braid their hair, please say no, darling. I only want you braiding my hair, not George’s. He won’t shut up about it if you do.” His tone was a facade of chaff, a hint of seriousness shining through. It was clear he was pretending to be all jokes but the sincerity lingered. You rolled your eyes overtly and smacked his chest like a child.

“You’re so dramatic, Freddie. I won’t touch your brother’s hair, Merlin’s sake.”

Just as you went to stand up, a pair of strong arms wrapped around your frame and yanked you to your previous position.

“Where are you going?”

“I thought we were gonna show George and Lee-”

The warmth of his breath smacked against the chilling skin of your neck. His arms were stiff around your waist, not even giving you a chance to escape. Giggles stormed through you at the feeling. Fred’s fingers poked and probed at your sides, starting an attack of tickles. You tried to pin his hands down although he overpowered you in seconds. He paused his tickle war not long after, allowing you to catch a gasp of air. Smiling brightly at you, Fred extended his legs out so you were placed between them.

“But I haven’t gotten to braid your hair yet! Now, turn around for me, darling. Hand me the brush please. Your braid is gonna be all flowers, no hair.” The contagious laughter of Fred encapsulated the atmosphere. Your hands shot up to cover your face in embarrassment. Fred had tried- at least ten times- to get a braid to stick in your hair and he had yet to succeed. His idea of a braid was starting with holding all three strands of hair at once and just twisting them in a repetitive cycle. The thought of grabbing pieces of hair to braid in was just another level of hair styling to Fred. Glancing up at Fred you gave him an unsure gaze.

“I’m gonna look like a clown, Freddie.”

Not missing a beat, your gentleman of a boyfriend just smirked, replying,

“A cute clown, love. A cute flower clown. You’ll have people thinking Halloween came early!” Already expecting what was to come, Fred cowered behind his arms, using them as shield from your hits. You didn’t strike to hurt, just to sting. Part of dating Fred was falling victim to his teasing. As close as you were, his jokes never truly offended you. There was a line drawn years ago and his toes never even grazed it. Crossing your arms over your chest you scrunch your nose in pretend annoyance.

“Freddie! Not nice.”

Your boyfriend laughed gently then reached over to pick up your basket of flowers on the ground. Sifting his hands through the pile, Fred was deep in concentration as he plucked out about five flowers of various shapes. The thing that stood out to you was the color. Although different in type, all the flowers were a pretty lilac tone. You assumed he had chosen flowers for your hair until he spoke. 

“I’ll let you put some purple flowers in my hair, if you’d like? Would that make it up to you?” He asked you sweetly. Fred knew you weren’t actually mad, a small part of him wanted pastel purple flowers to begin with. He just didn’t want you telling everyone he chose them himself- this way he could say he had to, in order to make you happy. The words lit a spark behind your eyes and you eagerly pivoted on the bed so your back was against his front. Nodding to yourself you agreed to his offer, trying not to show your excitement too much.

“Now face the wall, love. I’m gonna give you a Italian braid so sit still.” Your eyes widen in confusion as you whip around to face him. Fred grinned enthusiastically, holding a small portion of your hair in his hands. Squinting your eyes, you laugh a bit at him.

“An Italian- Freddie, no, darling. It’s called a French braid!”

His saucer like eyes just stared at you, the terminology flying straight over his head. He flickered between your gape, then down to your hair, then back up. Bobbing his head he seemed to agree with you. He grabbed your shoulders gingerly and positioned you so you were looking at the wall again. Mumbling to himself, Fred whispered words of encouragement earning a chuckle from you.

“Oh, yeah… a French braid.” His hands roamed through your hair, fingers brushing against your scalp. Nimbly he separated your strands into small portions. You felt the strong tug on your hair when he suddenly stopped abruptly and asked faintly, “Sweetheart… how do you braid hair?”

[fred-george-fic]

In the Middle Pt. 2

Cedric x Reader & George x Reader (Eventually)

A/N: This is kind of a large chapter, but if I didn’t include the date, it would’ve been an extremely short chapter. So, I hope you enjoy! (P.S. As always if you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to comment or message me!)

Summary: Back to Hogwarts we go! Plus a first date with a special someone. 

Pairing(s): Cedric x Reader & George x Reader (eventually)

Word Count: 2.4k

Warnings: Slight angst? Snogging?

Masterlist:~Part 1~

Back to Hogwarts

You stand there on platform 9 and ¾ with the Weasley family, Harry and Hermione. Everyone is saying their goodbyes to Arthur and Molly, thanking them for everything they did for you this summer. As you take a step back, you see Cedric and his father out of the corner of your eye. Cedric notices you looking over at him and gives you a slight wave. You return the greeting, tucking your hair behind you hear and return your attention back to the group.

You and Cedric had been sending each other a few letters over break and since you were staying at the Burrow, George and Fred constantly teased you about it. The contents of the letters were typical chatting, mostly just a way to keep it touch after the horrors of the Qudditch World Cup. He originally sent the first letter just to make sure you were okay, but you had continued to send them back and forth.

“Y/N! Let’s go! If we want to get our booth, we have to get on now!” George yells while walking towards the train with Fred. Molly grabs your shoulder before you begin walking towards the train to stop you.

“Please do your best to keep them out of trouble, dear. Who knows what hijinks those two will get into this year” Molly says pulling you into a large hug. “And be safe yourself, you’re more than welcome to stay with us again.”

“Thank you, Molly. I’ll do my best!” You return the hug, give her a slight wave and run onto the train, finding George and Fred in your usual booth.

--------

You sit in the Great Hall, wedged between Fred and George, watching the first years get sorted into their respective houses, cheering whenever one gets picked for Gryffindor. After they get sorted, Professor Dumbledore announces that there will be no Quidditch this year, due to a special event. This causes a lot of yelling in the Great Hall, especially from you and the twins. Dumbledore quickly continues introducing the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Mad-Eye Moody, who continuously drinks out of a little flask. As he continues on, he announces the beginning of the Triwizard Tournament which will begin at the end of October on Hallowe’en giving the winner fame and one thousand Galleons. But, that no student under the age of 17 will be allowed to participate.

“That’s rubbish!” George and Fred shout in unison, riling up other students around them. Soon, murmurs and shouts continue throughout the hall. Ever since they won their bet and were never given the money, the twins knew this could be their last resort for opening the shop.

“SILENCE!” Dumbledore shouts, quickly quieting the entire hall. “The rules of the tournament are final. There is no room to discuss them any further.” With that, Dumbledore turned around and took his seat at the table.

As you leave the Great Hall, you hear your name being called from behind. “Cedric?” You asked as you turned around, just in time to see the yellow and black robes rounding the corner.

“Y/N.” He said with a brilliant smile but just continued to look at you

“Yes?” You looked at him, confused on why he was just staring. You waved a hand in front of his face. “Are you alright?”

“Sorry, I just got lost in thought” He shook his head. “How would you feel about going to Hogsmeade with me this weekend?”

“Like a date?” You smile and look up at him.

“Exactly like a date.” He smiles back, looking extremely pleased.

“I would be delighted.” You blush. 

“Great, I’ll meet you outside your common room around 12.” He waves goodbye and turns around looking back at you with a smile before returning to the first years to lead them to the Hufflepuff common room. You could hear their murmurs about dating outside the houses and if you were his girlfriend. You hear him say “I’m working on that part” before rounding the corner.

“Did Pretty Boy Diggory just ask you on a date?” You look behind you and notice Fred and George leaning against the wall.

“We’re already becoming second best, Fred.” George says shaking his head.

“Didn’t even notice us coming out of the Great Hall.” Fred exclaims, throwing up his hands and walking towards the common room. 

“This is what happens when I don’t have two boys hovering over me.” You laugh and follow behind them.

“If you wanted that then you shouldn’t have sat in our booth during our first year.” Fred teased.

“You really should’ve planned your life better six years ago.” George retorts.

“If I would’ve know you two were this annoying, I just might have.” Your laughing continues as the boys look at you with false hurt in their eyes. “Are you two upset about the tournament?”

“Oh, don’t worry we have a plan.” They both looked back at you with a mischievous grin.

-------

The weekend came quickly, as the castle continuously buzzed with excitement over the Triwizard tournament. You, Hermione and Ginny were all up on Saturday morning. Both of them trying to help you pick out what to wear. You settled on your nicest jumper and a skirt. You thank Ginny and Hermione and make your way down to the common room to eat before Cedric came to pick you up. The moment you reach the end of the stairs and go into the common room, you see both Fred and George relaxing on one of the couches. As you attempt to walk by, they both notice you immediately.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Fred says, getting up from the couch, putting an arm around your shoulder to stop you from leaving.

“I was trying to go get some breakfast.” You say rolling your eyes, weaving out of his arm. “Do you two care to join me?” 

“Gladly” George says getting up from the couch and following you out of the common room. 

“So, Timber. Did you get all dressed up for Diggory?” Fred teased. You rolled your eyes and blushed slightly, trying to hide it.

“Busted!” Fred laughed and George followed suit.

As you walk into the Great Hall, you immediately feel someone staring at you. As you look over at the Hufflepuff table, you meet Cedric’s eyes. He was in the middle of a conversation and immediately stopped. This caused his friends to look over and notice you as well. Cedric beamed, giving you his brightest smile. You felt your face getting hot and began walking quicker to the Gryffindor table. You sneak one last glance over at Cedric, whose smile has fallen, staring directly at the Weasley twins, as his friend whispered something in his ear. You let out a sigh as you sat down at the table and began to grab a small portion of breakfast. 

“Alright, what’s wrong?” George asked, nudging you with his elbow.

“My relationship with Cedric is over before it even began.” You motion with you head towards the Hufflepuff table, where Cedric has continued his conversation, occasionally casting glances at the three of you. “He thinks I fancy one of you or vice versa.”

“That’s mad!” Fred says sharing a glance with George, that you do not seem to notice. “On the bright side, he hasn’t come to cancel your date, so you should have time to clear everything up.”

“I guess you’re right.” You play with your food, occasionally taking a bite as the boys change the subject and chat among themselves.

“What’s wrong with her?” You hear Ron ask as he sits across from you with Harry, Hermione and Ginny. You groan and the twins tell the group what had happened that morning.

“I mean; you do spend an awful lot of time together.” Harry says grabbing a portion of food. “Not that it’s a bad thing or anything! But it can be intimidating.”

“We’re a package deal!” Fred and George say in unison, both putting their arms around you.

“Yes, the host and her two parasites.” You laugh as the twins put their hands over there heart in mock heartbreak. 

“Fred, how will we ever recover?” George teased.

“I don’t know George; this may be permanent damage.” Fred replied. Both twins immediately started laughing.

“Well, while you’re trying to recollect your pride, I am going to head back to the common room and wait for my date.” You get up from the table and start making your way to the common room. 

As you got out of earshot from the group, Fred immediately turns to George “You’re just going to let this continue? I thought you had a plan?”

“She obviously likes Diggory, I am not going to ruin that by sharing my own feelings.” George states, looking over at Cedric to ensure he can’t hear.

“But Geo-” Hermione starts.

“No.” He quickly says and shrugs “As long as she’s happy, I’m happy.” The others quickly drop the subject, with Fred glaring daggers at his twin knowing that he could make her happy if he’d just put himself out there.

-------

It’s almost twelve o’ clock now and you’re waiting outside the common room by yourself. It took some convincing, but you managed to get it through George and Fred’s heads that if they waited outside the common room with you, it would only make things worse. You hear the clock ring throughout the castle signaling that it is officially twelve. After about ten minutes’ pass by before you begin to worry that Cedric isn’t going to come. You’re about to walk back into the common room, when you hear loud footsteps approaching.

“I’m so sorry I’m late!” Cedric claims as you turn around to face him, noticing him holding a pinkish flower at his side.

“Is that Vervain?” You look at the flower and then back up to Cedric.

“Is that what it’s called?” Cedric looked at the flower and then held it out to you. “I was late because I asked around what your favorite flower was. Hermione and Ginny didn’t know but remembered you picking the pink ones that looked like bells.”

You take the flower and smile down at it. “That’s so kind of you Cedric. These flowers actually have healing properties, specifically for mad dog bites. Let me go put it in my dorm, just a second” You quickly run upstairs, placing the flower on your chest and meet Cedric back outside.

“Ready to go?” Cedric holds out his hand to you.

“Absolutely.” You take his hand and begin walking towards Hogsmeade.

Once you arrive at Hogsmeade, you could see a number of students walking around, going in and out of shops. “I was thinking we could go to Honeydukes first and then head over to the Three Broomsticks for butter beer?” Cedric asked.

“Sounds lovely.” You respond and make your way over to Honeydukes taking in the various colors of the shop. 

“What’s your favorite?” Cedric asks, grabbing himself a liquorice wand. 

“Personally, I enjoy the glacial snowflakes.” You say grabbing a box off the shelf.

“I excepted some type of chocolate.” Cedric laughed and held out his hand. “Here, I’ll buy them for you.”

“Or, I can buy yours.” You say walking up to the counter with a grin on your face.

“No, I got it this time, maybe you can get the next.” He pays and hands you your box of glacial snowflakes, your fingertips brushing against each other lightly. “Shall we?”

You began your walk towards The Three Broomsticks with Cedric. While walking and having a pleasant conversation. He casual grabs your hand, you try not to focus on the warmth radiating into your cheeks and you continue the conversation. “So, next time? Are you implying that there will for sure be a next time?” You say looking over at him.

“Well, I at least hope there will be.” Cedric smiles at you as you reach The Three Broomsticks. “How about you find us a table and I’ll grab two butterbeers?”

As you enter inn, you notice a few students that you recognize from different classes scattered around. You find a table in the corner and Cedric quickly returns with the drinks. “Thank you.” You say grabbing the drink from him and he slides into the booth besides you.

“You’re welcome.” He smiles and takes a sip of his drink. “I really do have something to ask you.”

“Okay, what do you got?” You had a feeling you knew what this question was going to be about the Twins, but you did your best to keep a smile on your face.

“Do you fancy either of the Weasley twins? I just- see you with them all the time and my friends say they often see you laughing and flirting” He looks down at his drink, visibly embarrassed that he had to ask such a question, but you knew it was bothering him.

“Cedric-” You grab his hand. “They have been my best friends since our first year. You have nothing to worry about. They have been there for me in the darkest moments of my life, especially their family.”

Cedric turns to face you head on. “I’m sorry. I just saw you with them today and I grew concerned. You are just the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen; so I couldn’t imagine what other guys might be thinking.”

You blushed heavily and looked back down at your hands, your fingers interlaced with his. After finishing up the Three Broomsticks, you and Cedric walked back to Hogwarts hand in hand. As you both reach your common room, you turn to face each other. “Thank you. Today has been wonderful.” You say, smiling up at him.

“Y/N, do you remember at the quidditch world cup the conversation we were having before we were interrupted?” Cedric asked, wrapping his arms around your waist, pulling you in closer.

You begin blush, wrapping your arms around his neck. “Yes?”

“Well, there was something I was going to do.” He says and starts leaning in closer to you. Just then his lips grazed yours, softly brushing against them sending shivers through your spine. You smiled and took a step away from him. “Goodnight Cedric.” You say with a slight wave and slide into the Gryffindor common room.

Once you enter, you notice Hermione sitting on the couch near the fireplace and plop down next to her. “Someone had a nice time.” She said looking up from her book and raising an eyebrow. You sigh and lightly touch your fingers to your lips.

[wwitbeyondmeasure]

Summer at the Burrow / Ron Weasley fan fiction

Previous Chapters

Introduction / Author’s Note / Chapter 1: The Journey to the Burrow / Chapter 2: Hidden Letters / Chapter 3: Ron’s Return / Chapter 4: Nighttime Conversations / Chapter 5: A Morning Surprise / Chapter 6: The Quidditch Match / Chapter 7: Girl Talk / Chapter 8: Aphrodite’s Push / Chapter 9: Mistakes and Love Potions / Chapter 10: You Would Be Fine / Chapter 11: Spell It Out / Chapter 12: Long Overdue / Chapter 13: Always Want You

Chapter 14: A Magical End and a New Beginning

When you woke up the next morning, Ron's arms were wrapped tightly around you and his snores were loud enough to wake the entire Burrow. Giggling at him, you turned around to kiss him on the cheek. At this, he started stirring in his sleep.

"Wake up, Won-Won," you teased.

Ron groaned sleepily and nuzzled his nose into the crook of your neck.

"Never, call me that," he said, his speech thick from sleep. His morning voice instantly made you feel hot and light headed.

"What would you rather me call you?" you asked, a playful smirk appearing on your lips. "Sweetheart? Lover of mine? Honeykins? Sex Wizard Supreme?"

"My boyfriend will do for now," he responded, kissing your lips. After a moment he pulled away, pursed his lips and said, "On second thought, I kind of like Sex Wizard Supreme."

You laughed, playfully nudging him off of you as he tried to kiss you again. In response to this, he wrapped his arms around your waist from behind and attacked your neck with thousands of kisses. You were giggling and gasping under your breath when suddenly, Ron's bedroom door was kicked open. Both of you froze.

In marched Ginny, Hermione, Harry, and the twins.

"I see we've come full circle," Hermione said with a smirk once everyone got a glimpse of you and Ron, tangled in the bed sheets. You self consciously pulled the sheets higher up around your body to cover up for the fact that underneath the red comforter, you were butt-naked.

"I told you this was where she was," Ginny said, lightly slapping Harry on the shoulder.

Fred made a great deal of dramatically holding his hand out to George, who dug two galleons from his pocket and slapped it into Fred's open palm. George glared at you for a second, presumably for making him lose his bet, but before long he was back to smiling and joking.

"You're welcome for those fireworks, mate," George told Ron. "Without them, I would've bet you never would have told y/n you liked her."

"Bet? Would you like to make another? I could use some extra cash," Fred said, turning to his twin with a smirk. George responded with an eye roll and a shove to Fred's shoulder.

"Ron! You never told me you liked y/n!" Harry protested in disbelief. "I'm your best friend," he added afterwards, obviously a little grumpy that Ron hid this from him.

You felt Ron shrug behind you, his arms still in place on your waist.

"You never told me you fancied my sister," he responded. His voice was still deep from just waking up and it made you wish everyone would leave the room so you could attend to other activities.

Harry's face turned the color of Ginny's hair. Ginny, who was now grinning like an idiot.

"Come on then, Harry," Ginny said, taking him by the hand and pulling him towards the open door. "Ron and y/n had their conversation, now it's time for ours."

Once they left, Hermione and the twins stayed grinning at the two of you.

"Get out," Ron grumbled at them.

"Please," you added with a sweet smile.

Hermione winked at you as she left. The twins followed, but not before shouting "Use protection! Wrap it before you tap it!"

Ron groaned at their words but you knew he was secretly as excited as you were when his bedroom door slammed shut, leaving you alone.

"So," you prompted, rolling onto Ron's stomach. His hands instinctively found their way to your hips, moving up and down the sides of your body, giving you shivers.

"So," he replied with a smirk.

You leaned down to press your lips against his.

"Whatdoya wanna do on this fine morning?" you asked, mumbling the words against his mouth.

Ron's hands trailed from your waist downwards, cupping your bare bottom.

"I could think of a few ideas."

...

After about three rounds of mind-blowing sex, you were really making up for lost time, the two of you headed downstairs for breakfast. Well by now, it would probably be lunch.

Ron had insisted you wear one of his t-shirts, which had been exactly what prompted round number three, so you walked, more like limped (for obvious reasons), down the stairs wearing your jean shorts and his red Chuddley Canons shirt. His hand was pressed against the small of your back to keep you steady and it made you feel warm and fuzzy inside. You wished he would never stop touching you.

"Morning," George said, lifting his mug of tea and smirking at you.

"Y/n!" Mrs Weasley said, brightening once she saw you. "You missed helping at breakfast this morning, but no matter, please sit down! We're having sandwiches for lunch."

You thanked her, sliding into the nearest chair, praying to Merlin she hadn't noticed the way you were walking. Ron sat beside you and before long, the whole Weasley family was at the kitchen table. Plates of food were passed around and everyone started digging into the meal. Talk at the table was joyful and full, and you couldn't have been happier. You were sitting around the table with the boy you loved, your best friends, and the nicest family you had ever met. It was in that moment that you realized, this was the happiest you had ever been in your whole life. All thanks to this wonderful summer, you knew more moments like this would happen again.

After lunch, you played a game of Quidditch with the family and after an astounding match (you had scored at least 7 goals) you found yourself under the familiar oak tree, playing wizard's chess with Ron.

His knight piece had just smashed your pawn into a dozens pieces and you let out a low sigh.

"I've never been very good at this game, Quidditch is more my speed," you admitted.

Ron grinned, happy to have found a game he could beat you at.

"If I let you win will you stay in my room again tonight?" he asked with a giddy look in his eyes.

You laughed, pushing his shoulder. The instant your skin touched his, it was like the same sparks from your first kiss were ignited again. Ron rolled over on top of you, cradling your face with his large hands as he kissed you breathlessly. You couldn't help the sigh of happiness and love that escaped your lips.

"I'll take that as a yes," he said.

Rolling your eyes, you asked, "Won't your parents get suspicious?"

Ron shrugged, kissing your left cheek, then your right, and finally your forehead before pulling you into his side. Now you were cuddling under the oak tree, the summer sunshine illuminating his red hair, and you couldn't have been happier.

"Maybe they will, I dunno. I think they suspected us to be banging for years," he replied.

"Such romantic word choice," you quipped with a laugh.

He kissed your shoulder before responding, "Fucking, making love, bumping uglies. Whatever you want to call it, as long as we get to do it again."

You laughed again and he joined in, the sound like music to your ears.

"I'm serious though," Ron finally said, turning to you with a much more mature look on his face. "Not just about the sex thing. Even though that is very good. But I mean in general." His eyes scanned yours and you had the feeling he was nervous about what he was going to say next.

"In general?" you asked.

He nodded before continuing. "I don't want this, us, to be a just summer thing. I've loved you for years, and I want to keep loving you for years. That means during our last year at Hogwarts, and afterwards."  

You were stunned by his vulnerability to say that. In response, you kissed him, trying to pour all of the love and words you didn't know how to articulate into the kiss.

"I want that too. I want you, too. For years to come."

He grinned at that before repeating, "For years to come," as he kissed you again. And again. And again.

the end.

[halothenthehorns]

TLTNL- OWLS

Sirius straightened up prime and proud, forcing that good mood of Gryffindor winning the match to be the only thing they all heard. Grawp certainly had been, unexpected, but with any luck Umbridge would be ousted from the school before Harry even had to deal with him again. Never mind that pesky, nagging question that had been bothering him since Dumbledore's departure, if in fact being Headmistress would negate the curse upon the DADA position. But no, she was still teaching that class, which meant she'd be leaving very soon...he hoped.

Ron's euphoria at helping Gryffindor scrape the Quidditch Cup was such that he couldn't settle to anything next day.

"Considering Prongs was that way for whole weeks, you got off easy," Remus smiled fondly.

All he wanted to do was talk over the match, so Harry and Hermione found it very difficult to find an opening in which to mention Grawp.

"Exactly how hard were you trying?" Sirius snickered, he knew he couldn't relate the two subjects easily.

Not that either of them tried very hard;

All four burst out laughing, though Harry hardly looked very chagrined.

neither was keen to be the one to bring Ron back to reality in quite such a way.

"There really isn't a way to ease into this one," Lily grudgingly agreed, "I don't blame you for putting it off."

Lighting on this fine day made the grounds outside rather inviting, and though Ron was enjoying his time in the common room as random bursts of Weasley is our King were still sung,

"Who came up with the revision of that song anyways?" Remus asked curiously.

"Lee Jordan," Harry grinned. "Even after Ron saved his first goal, the Slytherin's tried to keep going, to throw him back off, but then he said, 'he sure saved that ring,' and it just sort of spiraled out from there. Neville told me later he swears even McGonagall was singing along."

"That's fantastic," James cackled at Malfoy's dirty little trick being so flipped by that.

  but finally they convinced him to spread out their revision books under a beech tree, Ron still not paying much mind as he walked them through his first save for the dozenth time.

Sirius certainly hadn't gotten to hear this yet! He was squirming with such excitement the words weren't flowing at a normal level and no one seemed to care.

He'd already let in that first goal of course, but as Bradley had come flying up to him, Ron had been watching for it, and he'd seen him fainting so Ron had just, followed the true throw, and well, they'd seen the rest, he concluded modestly.

Remus rolled his eyes, finding that the perfect opening Ron had provided, but he'd feel heartless admitting right there that he had no clue what had happened and dampen Ron's marvelous achievement.

"Good on him," James threw his shoulders back in pride. "I knew if he just held a bit more confidence he'd get it!"

"I can't believe we didn't get to hear more about it!" Sirius groaned as he glared at the pages but just couldn't bring himself to keep that look on Harry, it was more pouting. "Hagrid couldn't have waited just one more hour to finally tell you what was going on!"

Harry honestly agreed, he wished he had stayed at the game more, but it felt wrong to say so about his friend.

He swept his hair back and glanced hopefully at a group of passing girls.

The four of them burst out laughing while James just looked bemused and ruffled up his own hair to further their point.

Then he caught Harry's look and asked why he was grinning like that?

"Never thought my best mate would remind me of my dad," Harry chuckled softly, sure that was the first time in his youth he'd found some way to think better of his dad after that disastrous memory.

Harry denied he was doing any such thing, looking back to his books and not admitting Ron had reminded him of another Gryffindor player so many years ago doing the exact same thing.

The five of them smiled wider than ever, pleased beyond words Harry was finally able to look back at the lone memory he had of his father in his youth with some actual fondness.

Harry instead fibbed he was still just happy they'd won.

Ron savored those words, curious if Harry had also enjoyed watching Chang's face when Ginny had got the Snitch right from under her.

Harry bitterly muttered he supposed she'd cried.

"I really can see why you wouldn't want to put up with her if that's her response to everything," Sirius rolled his eyes.

Ron frowned in surprise that she had while chucking her broom away, hadn't he seen?

Remus let out a low whistle. "There's a temper we haven't seen yet."

"Ron's starting to get suspicious," James said in a sing song voice.

Harry stalled on answering, so Hermione finally admitted they'd only been there for his first unprotected goal.

Even Ron's hair seemed to wilt with disappointment.

Sirius couldn't help a surprised laugh at that description, even as he felt truly awful for Ron.

He looked from one to the other faintly, asking they hadn't seen any of it?

"Neither did we," James pouted, "so if you could just let him keep telling you about them-"

"James," Lily sighed, "Ron'll have pounded it into Harry's brain by this time, he can share it with us later."

The boys pouted, but didn't argue the point.

Hermione pleadingly tried to explain they'd had no choice, Ron interrupting to demanded to know why?

"I'd be miffed to," James huffed, even knowing the reason.

Harry finally explained everything to Ron, whose indignation quickly switched to incredulity.

"That's a kinder reaction than anyone in here had," Harry muttered.

Then he said 'no,' as if saying it would make it true.

"That has yet to work for us, but good luck trying," Sirius muttered.

Hermione firmly said oh yes he had, Grawp was a sixteen foot tall giant who enjoyed ripping up twenty foot trees and calling her Hermy.

"Well at least she got the highlights," James couldn't help a little twisted smile for that.

Ron stated Hagrid had lost his mind.

"At some point, seeing the depth of the truth is quite awe inspiring," Remus sighed.

Hermione agreed with that, but reminded they had promised to help.

Ron at once said they'd just have to break that promise!

"He's already done that once this year," Lily grumbled with a sideways look at Remus they all ignored no matter how true it was.

When had they ever come out better from messing with Hagrid's monsters?

"A detention really wasn't the worst thing in the world for that, even though the detention itself wasn't any fun,' James shivered in remembrance of the first time.

"Aragog was a bleeding nightmare, but at least fascinating," Remus shrugged.

"They stuck their necks out for Buckbeak," Lily said fairly, "I think that one warrants something."

"One out of five, as I count the Skrewts as no good at all as well," Sirius said deadpan. "Hagrid's not got a very good track record."

Ron took a breath and tried to sooth that at least they didn't have to worry about this until Hagrid was sacked, hopefully they wouldn't have to go near him again.

"Lucky Ron," Lily rolled her eyes while Harry got a pained look on his face no one wanted to question why.

OWLs were upon them at last.

Sirius gave a heavy sigh, but settled himself in preparation for some boredom, and honest curiosity. He wanted to hear how well Harry did even if he wasn't going to enjoy the flashbacks of his own.

Teacher's were no longer assigning homework but spent whole classes doing rapid fire review questions. Harry spent many of these in Potions wondering if Lupin had ever come talk to Snape about his Occlumency lessons,

"If so, then we're likely to never find the body," Sirius said uneasily.

"I'm really hurt you two don't think I can handle him," Remus pouted.

"Oh we know you could match him in a duel-" James waved off.

"We just don't think you would," Sirius kept frowning as he pictured all the ways that conversation would go, and none of them were good.

Lily wondered if his two friends underestimated Remus too much, he had just as much fury at these circumstances at Snape if Remus really thought Harry should be doing these.

but if he had, then Snape had ignored Lupin as thoroughly as he was now ignoring Harry.

They all decided to let the matter go uneasily though, clearly nothing was going to be done about it anytime soon.

Harry was plenty relieved with this, he had enough extra work without Snape adding in. To his relief, even Hermione hadn't brought it up again she was so busy studying.

"Hallelujah!" Sirius cheered.

"You and Hermione finally agree on something, and you still can't agree," Harry shook his head, trying to laugh instead of letting that headache rise again.

"I don't know what's crawled up my arse to think you should be spending extra time with Snape," Sirius shrugged without remorse. "So until I actually get a long over due explanation, I'm on your side pup."

Harry beamed at him, knowing he'd never get tired of hearing that, feeling such a thing flowing through him that would never just be a simple emotion to him.

She spent so much time pouring over books she hadn't even laid out elf clothes for days.

"You know, I've just thought, how was she paying for those?" Lily asked, wondering if her parents were really sending her extra knitting supplies.

"I think she used whatever money she pulled together from that SPEW campaign last year," Harry shrugged. "After that ran out, yeah I imagine she used her own money."

She wasn't the only one acting slightly off, Ernie had developed the habit of interrogating others on their amount of revision.

"Fascinating," James said in surprise.

"I'd have decked him," Sirius rolled his eyes at once at the idea.

"Then you'd have gotten detention and still had to do more studying," Remus pleasantly reminded.

"I'm sure it would be worth it," Sirius shrugged.

"Least he wasn't in your house," Harry said sadly, imagining Ernie's dorm mates had it far worse.

Beginning to interrogate Ron if he was doing more or less than eight?

Ron said less while looking alarmed.

"I would be to," Lily said with a slight grin, she knew she'd been frantic during her exams, now with the added stress of not speaking to her best friend on a permanent basis. She'd been as likely to murder someone as a Death Eater if she'd been crossed wrong at that time.

Ernie prattled off his own recital until he was cut off by Sprout.

"There's something deeply wrong with the lad when he's memorizing literally how much he's memorizing," Remus said with a touch of concern.

Meanwhile, Draco Malfoy had found a different way to induce panic.

"Of course he has," James said in disgust.

Telling anyone who would listen, Crabbe and Goyle, that his dad was very good friends with all of the examiners, he'd just had Griselda Marchbanks over for dinner the other night.

"From all we've heard about, I can't even say I'm surprised," Sirius with a crinkled nose.

"I'll pay whatever Malfoy gives them double just to flunk him in everything," James snapped.

"Don't waste your money Prongs," Remus scolded, "he'll do that all on his own, and if someone does pass him otherwise, get them fired instead."

James happily accepted this alternative with a wicked grin while Harry started snickering at the lot of them.

Hermione got a bit panicky when she heard this one, Ron didn't help by reminding if it was true they couldn't do anything about it.

Neville stepped in and offered he didn't think so, as his Gran was friends with Griselda Marchbanks, and she'd never mentioned the Malfoy's.

"Guess it is some relief half of what that ferret turd says is a lie," Sirius grinned.

Hermione eagerly turned on him asking what she was like?

Neville said like his Gran.

"That was not encouraging," Lily blanched a bit at remembering that woman's few appearances and mentioning's.

Ron tried to encourage at least Neville had a slightly better start than them knowing the person.

Neville disagreed, telling that his Gran told Marchbanks and everyone he wasn't as good as his dad.

"Glory that woman!" James spat in outrage. Clearly Neville needed his own Sirius around to remind him he didn't have to be like his parents for them to be proud!

"Someone needs to tell that woman in detail what she's doing to Neville," Lily said in disgust, more than happy to volunteer if so given the chance.

He tried to say they'd seen what she was like in St. Mungo's but stopped awkwardly there. The three weren't sure what to say, it had been the first time he'd brought it up.

Meanwhile,

"Wait, that was it," Remus yelped in surprise, his pale face having lost an extra few shades at the reminder.

"Yep," Sirius muttered, trying not to glance at Harry, but curiosity won out.

He sighed and admitted, "yeah, we just kind of awkwardly stood there until he went into Potions. Apologizing just doesn't feel right, it sounds empty when people say it to me anyways, but, you know, couldn't think up anything else to say."

There was an awkward silence as they all agreed there wasn't anything to be said after something like that, so Sirius kept going loudly for this meanwhile change of subject.

a flourishing black-market trade in aids for mental agility had sprung up among the fifth and seventh-years.

"I remember this!" James bounced eagerly onto chatting loudly even if his voice did sound a bit too high pitched.

"Weren't you the ones who spread that story sleeping with black dog hair would give you luck?" Lily demanded with a raised brow.

James no longer bothered to deny this as he had back then, "yeah, even got Padfoot to 'try some' for a day and he answered every question any teacher threw at him the next day. We made a killing in profits for a few hours before this Hufflepuff Prefect Gabriel Truman got us in detention with McGonagall for spreading the story."

"Be thankful she didn't ask where you were getting all the dog hair," Remus rolled his eyes.

"How'd you fake getting all the answers right?" Harry asked curiously.

Sirius looked affronted as he said, "I actually knew them!"

While Remus rebutted, "we all took turns whispering the answers he didn't know. Between all of us, he got there."

"See if I ever do your Potions homework again," Sirius grumbled.

"I'll take you up on that," Remus rolled his eyes, while Sirius winced at his own stupid comment.

Harry and Ron were much tempted by the bottle of Baruffio's Brain Elixir offered to them by Ravenclaw sixth-year Eddie Carmichael,

"Oh Harry," Lily sighed. "Didn't you learn your lesson in second year with this nonsense."

"I really didn't want to fail all my exams," Harry said without remorse.

who swore it was solely responsible for the nine "Outstanding" OWLs he had gained the previous summer,

"I'd want to see that paper myself before I believed that," Remus sniffed.

and was offering a whole pint for a mere twelve Galleons.

"Oh is that all," James chuckled. "We only demanded a galleon a bag."

"It was my fur," Sirius frowned, "I think I should have decided how to charge when Remus tried to shave me bald."

"You should have let Prongs offer some then," Remus smirked.

"It was my idea, I wanted the credit," Sirius huffed.

"There's no pleasing him," James informed the other two.

Ron was just assuring he'd pay back Harry his half if he split with him, when Hermione showed up and flushed it down the toilet.

"Hermione really is handy to have around some of the time," Lily chuckled while the boys stopped their bickering.

Ron tried to protest her, but Hermione scathed they may as well buy Harold Dingle's powdered dragon claw while they were at it.

"Oh, now there's something really worth buying," Remus grinned.

"You couldn't pay me to eat that for any reason," Sirius crinkled his nose in disgust.

"I'll bet it was doxy dung or something mixed with water," James smirked. "People try to pass off a ton of things like that, a little color changing charm, bam. You've got those fifth years fooled."

"Thank you so much," Harry muttered, agreeing with his mum and thankful Hermione had stopped them if that was the case.

Ron begged Hermione to give him just a pinch of that, but Hermione told them it was just dried Doxy droppings like the rest of this garbage was when she'd tested it.

"Some things never change," Sirius said nostalgically.

This information took the edge off Harry and Ron's desire for brain stimulants.

The four laughed at Harry's relieved look, though they had full confidence he wouldn't really need them.

They were given the time tables of all their exams in their next Transfiguration class, along with McGonagall's anti-cheating lecture.

"We got this speech every year," James groaned.

"Clearly it was needed, as someone tried something every year," Lily rolled her eyes.

Banned from the examination were: Auto-Answer Quills,

"Those are banned from the school," Remus reminded.

"Doesn't stop people from using them," Sirius shrugged.

Remembralls,

"Those wouldn't even be helpful in an exam," James rolled his eyes.

and Detachable Cribbing Cuffs.

"Those are new," Lily couldn't help her eyes lighting with interest, for the magic of course, not because she'd ever try to use one just to beat out Potter in just one Transfiguration test...

Every year someone seemed to think they could get past these rules, and they were always caught. She hoped it wasn't a Gryffindor, she finished sternly. Then she continued that their, Headmistress,

"I wonder how badly she hurt her tongue spitting that one out," Remus said in sympathy.

Harry watched Sirius' disgusted face and found it a close proximity.

McGonagall pronounced the word with the same look on her face that Petunia had whenever she was contemplating a particularly stubborn bit of dirt,

"Normally I'd shame you comparing the two," James shook his head, "but McGonagall deserves whatever look she has for this."

had stated there would be severe punishment to any cheaters, as of course, their examination results reflected on her.

"Don't tell them that!" Lily spluttered in concern. "We don't need students failing out of spite!"

"We already got them doing that in Potions, no need for the whole school to suffer," Sirius agreed.

She gave a tiny sigh, Harry saw her nostrils flare again before she continued this was no reason not to try their best, they had their own futures to think of.

"Ha!" Sirius barked, all of them smiling just a bit for McGonagall's cheek.

Hermione asked how soon they'd be getting results, and McGonagall said not until July.

"Just what I always wanted for my birthday," Harry sighed.

Harry imagined sitting in his bedroom in Privet Drive in six weeks' time,

Lily blanched in frustration, thinking surely he wouldn't spend nearly a whole summer there again! Sirius or someone would fight back, get Harry out of there!

waiting for his OWL results. At least he would be sure of one bit of post that summer.

"Thank you for that lovely reminder," Sirius sighed, not exactly grateful for remembering that, but it had still been better than Harry living under that webbed thumb and everything else that had occurred.

Their first exam was Charms Monday morning and Harry agreed to quiz Hermione over it, which he immediately regretted as she kept snatching the book away to make sure her answers were word perfect, finally giving him back the book with so much force she cracked him over the nose.

"That'll train you not to be as fast as her," James chuckled weakly, his mind still on his son's upcoming holidays and how not fun that was going to be again.

"Never worked on Sirius, so don't hold your breath," Remus shrugged.

Ron was seen reading two years' worth of Charms notes with his fingers in his ears, his lips moving soundlessly;

"How did he turn the page?" Sirius asked innocently.

"You're an idiot," Lily pleasantly informed him.

and Parvati and Lavender, who were practicing basic Locomotion Charms, were making their pencil-cases race each other around the edge of the table.

"Good of them to have some fun with it," James smiled, remembering that's how they'd spent their nights before exams, trying to make up as many games as possible with the spells needed. They'd been kicked out of the common room several times for this.

Dinner was a subdued affair, many people not eating much and instead ducking back down for books to check as well as nip a few bites.

Hermione suddenly let her silverware fall with a clatter as she saw the Entrance Hall.

"That's never a good sign," Sirius shivered a bit, wondering what new atrocity could be occurring just before this.

The two boys turned and spotted what had her so spooked, several extremely old people were coming in being led by Umbridge, who looked nervous, as Hermione whispered those were the examiners.

"I really wish I could see how much Umbridge has been sending to the Ministry about her improvements to the castle," Lily said blandly.

"I really want them to take a peek at the twins swamp!" James smirked.

Wanting a closer look, the three abandoned their meal and slowly walked past the group, pausing as Umbridge spoke to an extremely elder lady.

"Oh I remember her now," Lily snapped her fingers. "Yes, she was a sweet thing, told me even before I walked out I was guaranteed an O in my Charms."

"Lucky you," Sirius made a face at her, "I turned my pumpkin the wrong color and the man wouldn't stop laughing the whole time. The one time I wasn't trying to make someone laugh!"

"What color did you turn it?" Harry asked in surprise.

"It was supposed to be blue," he began grudgingly, "and yet somehow I turned it black," he finished still fighting back a smile years later at his unintentional joke, and Harry was so surprised he burst out laughing as well.

Marchbanks was waving off Umbridge's concern about the journey, instead mentioning she hadn't heard from Dumbledore lately,

"Neither have we," Remus rolled his eyes.

"Does she not keep up with the news?" James asked in surprise.

adding on they still had no clue where he was?

"Ah, okay, now I really like her," Sirius smirked when he realized this Marchbanks was actually just rubbing it in.

Umbridge gave a forced smile as she said they'd catch up with him.

Marchbanks just laughed and told how much she doubted that, she'd examined Dumbledore during his NEWTs, and he'd done things with a wand she hadn't seen since.

Lily felt her mouth go dry with shock as she realized the same person who'd marked her had also done Dumbledore! It really put into perspective how old their headmaster was, how old this woman was!

The boys were just laughing raucously for what they considered a very good return.

Umbridge shot a nasty look at the trio as she passed them, before encouraging her guests up to the staff room for some tea.

"Not with you in the room, I doubt I could breathe through your fumes," Remus snipped.

Harry went to bed that night regretting his career consultation,

"McGonagall hasn't seemed to be living up to that one yet," Sirius said conversationally.

"She didn't have any doubts he'd pass Charms," Lily reminded. "Mostly it was just Potions."

"Then it's a good thing Snape's not allowed to set the exams," James huffed, "otherwise Harry would have to beg Merlin himself to get a pass."

and wishing he'd told McGonagall a more realistic option.

"Harry, this is plenty achievable," Remus wouldn't let his spirits fall if this was something he really wanted. "I can already tell you've shown an aptitude for it."

Harry smiled appreciatively for the praise, something warm inside him saying he agreed with Remus.

Breakfast was no better than the meal before, students still trying their hardest for last minute studying. Parvati was practicing an incantation on a salt cellar that was only twitching,

"I'm sure that wasn't encouraging," Lily winced.

and Neville kept dropping the marmalade with nerves.

"So he was practicing the Evanesce charm," Sirius offered.

They had their written in the morning and practical's in the evening, so when breakfast was over they were all milling around waiting to be let back in. Harry stepped through to find the Great Hall exactly as it had been from Snape's memory, all of the desks set up and McGonagall waiting at the front.

"Why isn't the teacher of the lesson there?" Harry asked, recalling wanting to ask this last time, but he'd been a little distracted.

"Takes pressure off I suppose if the regular teacher isn't there," James shrugged.

"I thought it was another method of anti-cheating," Remus offered. "Teacher of the class couldn't show favoritism and possibly slip an answer if they aren't even there."

Harry flipped his paper over to begin, and found the first question asking for the incantation and wand wrist movement to make objects fly.

They all released a very surprised burst of laughter as they recalled a club knocking a troll out, nothing more memorable about that spell.

Harry had a fleeting memory of a club soaring high into the air and landing loudly on the thick skull of a troll . . . smiling slightly, he bent over the paper and began to write.

"I hope that's a good marker for the rest of these," Sirius kept chuckling. He never would have believed he could look back on that as a fond memory, but considering everything that had happened in the meantime, it was almost hilarious they'd once been afraid of a troll around Harry.

Hermione walked out saying that wasn't as bad as she thought.

"This coming from the girl who once got a perfect score on Charms," Lily sighed. Charms had come naturally to her and even she'd never achieved that.

She was worried she hadn't done enough justice to it, she hadn't added the counter-charm to cure hiccups for the Cheering Charm-

"What exam was Hermione taking?" Harry shook his head in disbelief. Even after five years, he still felt exasperated at her over achieving ways no matter how many times they saved his life.

Ron cut her off before she could keep going, telling her he did not want to sit through the examination again, it was bad enough the first time.

"I don't know, I'd probably let her," Remus said fairly. "I'd instantly be getting my results back on what I put down."

"Not worth it," James agreed with Ron, "I'd smother her from stress after the third answer I didn't put down as detailed as her."

The house tables were returned for lunch, and then they entered for practical's in alphabetical order. Harry entered with Flitwick at the door telling him who he would be examining with.

"I can see why they were allowed inside for these though," Remus kept explaining without a prompt from Harry. "They get to see your work in class be put to the test."

Harry smiled at his eager tone, the way his eyes shone with just a hint of what they would if he'd been in the back of a DADA hall like he should.

Harry went over to a tiny little man who was only a space away from where Malfoy was halfway through his test.

James let out a surprised snort of laughter, saying, "how slow was he going? He was three letters off and still in there!"

"I always said these should be timed, students can't stall and make themselves feel worse for not being able to think," Remus said with just a touch of sympathy.

Professor Tofty greeted him by his full name in surprise, confirming the famous Harry Potter?

"If there was more than one, Harry wouldn't have nearly as many problems as he did," Sirius said in disgust.

Harry saw Malfoy throw him a dirty look and the cup he was supposed to be levitating fell and smashed.

All of them got a righteous giggle out of that considering the prats own earlier boosting and knowing it wouldn't help Harry at all even if he'd needed it.

Grinning to himself, he felt his exam went much better, his Levitation Charm had certainly been more smooth, though he wished he hadn't mixed up Color Changing and Growth, he had his rat swell to twice its size before he figured out how to correct it.

"There you go Sirius," Harry said swiftly, as just the mention of the little animal had set his teeth back on edge. "At least you stayed in the right spell!"

Sirius put up a smile for Harry's attempts.

He failed to tell Hermione this, but admitted it to Ron after he told he'd somehow mutated his plate into a mushroom with no clue how.

Then they all got a genuine laugh for that one, fondly remembering Ron's broken wand in second year and wondering if the poor kid had been thinking the same during some spell.

They had not a chance to relax after the one, moving on to Transfiguration all evening. During the written part, Harry forgot the definition of a Switching Spell,

Harry frowned sadly, still wishing more than anything he'd taken a liking to one of his parents old subjects, but still smiled pleasantly as both kept beaming fondly at him and all of his progress being so heavily described it was worth whatever grade he got for the attempt.

but thought his practical could have been a lot worse. At least he managed to Vanish the whole of his iguana, whereas poor Hannah Abbott,

Sirius frowned in genuine concern for this poor girl still being in there when Harry was! He'd have honestly passed her just out of pity for clearly freezing up for so long.

somehow managed to turn a ferret into a whole flock of flamingos, and the hall had to be emptied until they were all caught.

"Oh, were you in there for that?" Sirius asked in surprise as he fixed his thoughts.

"No, she just told us what happened while crying," Harry winced for the poor girl who hadn't even wanted to go back in and finish until Neville had took her aside and calmed her down.

They had their Herbology exam on Wednesday, and other than a small bite from a Fanged Geranium, Harry felt he had done reasonably well there.

Sirius kept reading very loudly before his friends could have another go at him for that subject.

On Thursday, Defence Against the Dark Arts.

All five of them winced hard for the last time this had come up, but thankfully Harry had very clearly put that in his past where it would stay this time, even Lily didn't go as pale as usual upon thinking of this day in light of watching her son relive it.

For the first time, Harry finally had full confidence. He knew every question on the written and gave in-detail answers, and the practical was just as much of a breeze, performing every requested jinx and counter jinx while smirking at Umbridge watching.

"Always good to have your target in sight," James said with relish as he pictured a variety of things he'd cast at her too.

His examiner proclaimed him as done, unless he'd like to try for a bonus point and do a Patronus?

Harry raised his wand, imagined Umbridge being sacked,

"Happiest memory I'd conjured in ages," Harry's smirk only widened in here what it had been at the time.

and shouted Expecto Patronum.

The whole hall stopped in surprise as the stag cantered around, and Harry was released with a hearty congratulations.

As he passed Umbridge, there was a nasty smile at the edge of her mouth and Harry didn't even care.

James was in such a giddy mood for Harry's clear overwhelming happiness at this he didn't even care what was running through her rotted mind!

Unless he was mistaken, and he wasn't going to say it aloud incase he was, Harry felt sure he'd just gotten an Outstanding OWL.

"I have no doubts whatsoever," they all reassured him, Harry never having felt such pride in his life.

They got a bit of a break on Friday as Hermione took her Ancient Runes, and she came back in a right temper to see the two playing chess. She at once furiously told them she'd mistranslated ehwaz, meaning partnership, as eihwaz, meaning defence.

"Sirius, you pronounced those exactly the same," Lily corrected, grasping what words he'd meant by their translations. "Ehwaz is-"

"Prongs, stop your wife before I do," Sirius grumbled, though continued reading loudly before the threat could be carried out and Lily just huffed at him.

Ron tried to say it was only one mistake-

Hermione told him to shut up.

"Ooh, snappy," Remus chuckled, Sirius did a rather good impersonation of that.

It was the difference between her passing and failing!

"I honestly can't imagine her failing any class," James said lightheartedly.

"She could still take Divination and pass it," Harry agreed.

What's worse was she'd passed Umbridge's office and another Niffler was in there trying to take a chunk out of her leg.

"What kind of jewelry has she got-" Remus blinked in surprise, before they all blanched in disgust and did not want to ask further.

Harry and Ron said good together.

"Not really," Lily sighed, remembering the last time this was mentioned.

Hermione heatedly said no it wasn't! She thought Hagrid was doing this!

Harry gestured out the window where Hagrid was teaching a class and pointed out he couldn't have done that, and Hermione called Harry naïve.

Harry frowned in reproach, wishing he'd quit forgetting to avoid Hermione right after an exam.

That wasn't going to stop her!

Then she stormed off to the dorm and slammed the door behind her.

Ron noted what a lovely, sweet-tempered girl she was while turning back to his game.

They all burst out with laughter at that one, not at all blaming him for waiting until the echo faded before he'd said this.

Hermione's bad mood lasted the whole weekend, and Harry wasn't feeling much better come the following Monday. He'd spent every spare second trying to study for Potions, the one exam he was sure would be his downfall in becoming an Auror.

"Now where's McGonagall when I need her," Harry sighed.

"You'll do fine," Lily insisted. "I've seen proof already you can do this if you're not under pressure, and Snape can't do anything to you in there."

"It doesn't mean I'll be getting that O though," he said morosely, not feeling remotely better at how true he felt that was, but it was of some comfort it didn't make the vision in his head of this job dim any less.

Sure enough, he found the written paper difficult, though he thought he might have got full marks on the question about Polyjuice Potion;

"That's a sixth year potion!" Sirius protested this.

"It was a bonus question," Harry shrugged. He got a much more forced laugh from that experience, they remembered this too vividly being a problem last year.

he could describe its effects accurately, having taken it illegally in his second year.

"Thank you for the pleasant call back," James shook his head, still having the urge to be sick at mention of that Basilisk for too long and grateful Sirius didn't linger.

The afternoons practical wasn't as bad, even with Snape at the back, the whole environment made for a far more pleasant feel than Harry had ever felt while over a cauldron. Neville seemed to be feeling the same, both potions came out the right color.

Lily gave a pitiful sigh, having wished more times than she could count her son wouldn't suffer in that class, that he may even have been able to flourish in it if not for that arse hole treating him the way he did.

Parvati sighed with relief they only had four exams left, but Hermione would not be soothed, shouting she still had Arithmancy, and that was the hardest one!

Nobody was foolish enough to snap back,

"So you lot do have a sense of life," Remus chuckled.

so she was unable to vent her spleen on any of them and was reduced to telling off some first-years for giggling too loudly in the common room.

"Hermione's a real peach, don't let me ever say otherwise," Lily shook her head for the poor girl so stressed.

They had Care of Magical Creatures on Tuesday, and Harry felt he did reasonably well, getting all the points right on what the different creatures ate and how to identify them, only managing to get one serious bad burn from a fire-crab while cleaning it to really catch him off.

"I didn't get a single one, but thanks for asking," Sirius grinned at Harry, who gave his obligatory laugh as he watched his godfather, but hated how strained it sounded for his gut tightening inside him every second. He could feel something approaching him, some mark that left him as unhappy as Hermione at the thought of the end of the OWLs...

The others were just hoping the joke was finally wearing off of him.

Their written Astronomy took place Wednesday morning, and while Harry hadn't remembered all of Jupiter's moons, at least he was sure none of them were covered in mice.

"It's good to know Hermione's tutoring had some lingering effects," James snickered in remembrance.

They had to wait until evening for their practical Astronomy;

Harry twitched hard at that, and they gave him sympathetic looks for his exams starting to get to him by this time, he'd lasted longer than others.

so they did their Divination that afternoon, which was by far his worst yet.

"How?" Sirius demanded as a boyish laugh erupted. "You've had loads of practice by now just to make it up."

"Trelawney's not even the one there, you can reuse old ones," James agreed.

He described his tea-leaves as a soggy old man, and informed during the palm reading that his examiner should have died last Tuesday.

Harry felt a shot of relief as everyone laughed around him for this display, forcing himself to relax as well and convince himself nothing worse could happen during an examination than that.

Ron's had not gone much better, as he'd spent quite some time giving a detailed account of an ugly old man with a wart in his crystal ball before looking up to realize it was his examiner.

'Or even that,' he mentally conceded as the laughter doubled.

Harry said they never should have taken it in the first place, Ron now agreeing at least they could drop it. From now on, he didn't care if his tea leaves spelled out for him to die, he'd just put them in the trash where they belonged.*

Sirius slumped in his seat he was laughing so hard by now, and Harry watched him affectionately trying to force this feeling of nausea to recede rather than increase like it was. It took his godfather a moment to collect himself and brush his hair back out of his face before he could continue, and Harry had gotten nowhere.

Harry laughed until he saw Hermione approaching, so quickly stopped.

Hermione wasn't in too bad a mood, saying her Arithmancy had gone well, and now they had some time to look over their star charts before dinner.

Harry wrapped his arm around his torso in pain, smothering a groan as the pressure kept building in his head and his gut. What about an exam would cause such a feeling of panic to rile him up?

The others finally noticed what Harry was trying to repress, but Sirius didn't hesitate in going on very loudly now. Surely it was just exam nerves scaring the boy senseless...

They were up on the Astronomy tower with a perfect cloudless night. Harry was looking for the constellation Orion,

"Don't be ridiculous Harry," Sirius rolled his eyes. "It's June, you won't find that one unless you've found a way to look through the sun."

Harry did indeed look chagrined, but didn't have very high hopes for passing this class anyways.

when the doors below open and six people walked out of the castle across the lawn.

Harry shivered deep in his seat, fighting back the urge to close his eyes in pain and instead they were watering up. He just knew he did not like this, it was going to cause something so terrible to happen...

Harry glanced over the parapets, watching their movement before he was reminded of the exam going on.

Lily hummed at this, no one in any delusion this was what was causing Harry such a stir. It was beyond odd though, what was going on in the grounds at that hour, and why would it cause Harry to look as if in fear for someone's life?

In the poor lighting though, he was sure he could spot a squat figure amongst them.

"Oh boy," James broke the heavy silence with dread.

He could not think why Umbridge would be taking a stroll outside after midnight, much less accompanied by five others.

"Got turned around?" Remus offered, a proper joke failing him as they all watched Harry's twitching frame.

Then the night's silence was broken by a large dog barking.

"Oh dear," Lily managed a soft whisper of unease as now they were all as tense as Harry. This couldn't be good...

Lights turned at Hagrid's place, and the six figures seemed to be welcomed over the threshold.

"No, no, no, not again!" Sirius burst in frustration.

"They're, they're not really trying to arrest Hagrid!" James bellowed in protest.

Harry's mouth was cotton dry, he couldn't find air to breathe. He was worried for Hagrid, but there was something more, something that wasn't having him question Hagrid's safety, but some member of the Order's...

Harry felt uneasy as he watched shadows threw the window, but still tried to put his eyes back to the sky.

"Oh I've long since forgotten about this," Remus snarled in frustration, he knew he'd have marched down there and said something about this.

Then there was a roar of outrage echoing from the ground, and several people ducked down to look now.

Professor Tofty gave a dry little cough to keep their attention.

"Excuse him!" Lily spluttered. "After that kind of noise, I'd be dismissing the lot and seeing what was going on!"

Sirius' foot was tapping in agitation, his eyes peeling words away so fast he wasn't sure what he was actually saying until he felt the reactions of the others and he had to pause for breath and take it in, he couldn't imagine Hagrid going back to that place anymore than him!

He encouraged them to concentrate, and most people did turn back to their work, but a glance over showed Hermione was still transfixed on the cabin below.

"That should really be saying something," James tried to say obstinately, but it fell flat, even poking fun at Hermione held nothing for anyone right now.

With the twenty minute warning, even Hermione gave a regretful jump and tried to put some more work down.

"Oh, well, never mind then." James hardly more than mouthed the joke, his every attention focused on Sirius to find what had happened to Hagrid.

Not moments later though, several people poked themselves in the eye in surprise at the BANG that wrenched the night, now everyone watching as Hagrid was storming out of his cabin with red lights flashing around him, they were trying to Stun him.

"No!" Lily cried in frustration, her arms automatically curling to shield her infant from the outrage around him before she gratefully remembered he wasn't down here.

"They can't do this to him!" Sirius howled with fury.

"As if that's ever stopped them before," Remus said in disgust.

"Hagrid's fighting back this time though," James grimly reminded as the scene was put together in his mind.

Hermione shrieked no, but Tofty curtly reminded this was an examination.

"Nobody cares," Harry said through gritted teeth, his thudding heart promising this still wasn't the worst to come.

Nobody even noticed, as someone shouted at Hagrid to be reasonable, and Hagrid told Dawlish reasonable be damned. Harry could just spot the outline of Fang jumped around at Hagrid's feet, keeping himself between the wizards and his owner,

"A fearsome sight in itself," Sirius said grimly, even if Fang never attacked a single one of them.

until a Stunning Spell caught him and he fell to the ground.

Remus made a blistering noise of outrage, that was more than uncalled for.

Hagrid gave a howl of fury, lifted the culprit bodily from the ground and threw him; the man flew what looked like ten feet and did not get up.

"I'm wondering if he ever will again," Lily said through numb lips as that kept replaying in her head.

Hermione gasped, Harry and Ron were terrified. None had ever seen Hagrid in a true temper.

"Wish we never had," James whispered, never wanting to have been there more for a friend than when he was being attacked on all sides.

Then the front doors opened again, and someone else came marching across the lawn in the Entrance Hall lights.

Harry felt it, that ratcheting fear reaching a crescendo, this was not going to make things better!

Tofty tried to pull back attention, reminding there was only sixteen minutes left.

"No one cares!" Sirius burst in outrage, hurriedly trying to skip past that interruption.

Nobody paid him a mind as McGonagall shouted how dare they!

"Oh now they're in for it," Remus said with a predatory smile. Even without raising a wand, suddenly they were all confident McGonagall would somehow find a way to set this right.

She kept up her shouting at them, demanding to know what grounds they had to warrant such-

The girls upon the roof screamed as four Stunners were shot at McGonagall.

Sirius' heart thudded, and actually came to a stop for several moments. He only kept reading the results of this with the last of his air,

Only halfway there, the beams collided with her, and for just a moment she glowed red before the spell took and she flew back, landing without further movement.**

before his tightly drawn face went slack in shock.

"Oh my gosh! Oh, my goodness! No, she, she can't have," Lily was a babbling mess, suddenly on her feet and running forward to snatch the book away from Sirius' numb fingers. Her eyes nearly burned a hole through the pages, all she could see was red and their head of house-

James hadn't realized he was doing it until the spell burst from his lips, and apparently his aim was quite off as he set a bit of the wall on fire. While the flash of heat went quite unnoticed considering how incensed they all were, James was also forced to extinguish it just as fast before his shaking limbs didn't allow another spell.

Their outrage was ceased by Harry, and for once not the baby. That he was angry was as clear as the rest of them, his face was an eerie calm of a storm the likes of they'd last seen on Privet Drive when he'd thought he was being attacked by Death Eaters, but now it was much more personal. The truly scary part though came from his trembling lip, that fear leaving his pupils blown so wide. They just couldn't believe it, McGonagall was going to live through this, right? Yet that look on his face left the haunting expression someone wouldn't, and they could only hope it was the fools who'd done this to her, what Hagrid had just done would be like Grawp playing with a twig.

Sirius couldn't swallow for several moments, feeling as if his own tongue had been jammed down his throat and he had to fight hard to force his eyes to go back to recognizing mere words rather than the tirade of curses he wanted to rain down on someone as he gingerly took the book back from Lily in fear for his own life. Moony had to come over and guide her back to her seat she was so stunned, but neither could bend their knees to sit.

 No one was going to live after what had just been done to his favorite teacher! The first authority figure he'd ever respected in his life because she'd earned it rather than making him fear her! Harry needed him though, his pup needed to get through this first to know she was going to be okay and give them a list of names.

Tofty finally seemed to have forgotten about his own exam,

"Finally," Remus said faintly, casting his wand vaguely to at least stop the hole smoking. Neither him nor Lily could be properly still, too frantic and needing something to do and listening to Sirius talk wasn't helping!

as he called their behaviour outrages.

Hagrid clearly felt the same, calling them all cowards as he used his fists now and two of them fell with each swipe.

James made an unsatisfied noise even as he put a tight hold on Harry's shoulder as a reminder he was here, it was all going to be okay.

Umbridge shouted at the last Auror standing to stop him, both trying to send one last stunner. For a moment Hagrid stooped, as if he'd finally been felled, but then he got back up with something over his shoulder, and Harry realized it was Fang. Then he took off running towards the distant gates and vanished.

"How, could, she," Lily was nearly hyperventilating she was so beyond words to express this.

There was a long, drawn minute of silence before Tofty tried one last time to remind them they only had five minutes left.

Sirius blinked sluggishly for a moment, unable to grasp back the fact that something as mundane as an exam was going on. He wanted to hear someone checking on Minerva!

No one seemed to get any last minute work done, as they were finally dismissed and the students at once began discussing what they'd seen.

Ernie said he wasn't surprised at Umbridge's timing, she'd clearly been trying to avoid another scene like Trelawney's.

Ron was impressed how well Hagrid had held his own,

Harry noticed in a detached way the students almost excitement for this, like they'd just watched a show.

while Hermione explained it would be his giants blood that had made it so hard to take him down, but poor McGonagall.

"She's going to be fine though!" James said hastily as Harry shivered harder than ever. "McGonagall's tough as they come, I'm half surprised they didn't bounce off her like Hagrid."

Harry saw distantly what he was trying to do, but it was hard to concentrate on his voice, he just kept hearing Sirius read and he wanted to plug his ears shut as well as never stop hearing that again. Which was ridiculous, Sirius hadn't even been involved in this...

Ernie gave a pompous shake to his head, saying how dreadful all this was, before he nipped off to bed.

Lily's eyes burned, he could have showed a little more worry for two of the staff!

Ron mentioned at least Hagrid hadn't been sent to Azkaban.

Sirius felt his skin crawl hatefully at the reminder, knowing that was still a horrid outcome, but somehow a worse one had happened!

Then he supposed Hagrid had joined Dumbledore somewhere. Hermione agreed, but she looked almost tearful as she realized she'd expected Dumbledore to somehow come back by now, instead they'd lost Hagrid too.

All four of them were surprised at just one passing comment for McGonagall. They'd been worried for Hagrid sure, but McGonagall was their real outrage, and they weren't likely to settle until they heard of someone taking care of her, though they'd never admit aloud she needed any such thing. Those kids were still young enough though, they were not as caught up in DA as they should have been, perhaps did not even realize four stunners was four times worse than just the single spell. It would knock you back and leave you as injured as any hex with the blow of so much magic.

They got back to Gryffindor tower and saw Dean and Seamus had beat them there, woken everyone up and caught them up, and the whole house was chatting about it as well.

Angelina asked why sack Hagrid now? He wasn't like Trelawney, he was doing good this year.

Remus got a funny frown in place, wanting to protest that but hard to find the words.

Katie reminded about the recent Niffler problem, and Lee said in shame that had been him putting them through her window.

Sirius felt that feeling he'd lived for in his youth, the urge to laugh at such mischief, but it did not carry through into full bloom, not with Harry clearly so worried, not until he knew McGonagall was still going to be around to be exasperated at it.

Dean pointed out Hagrid would have been sacked, he was too close to Dumbledore.

Lavender was still nearly in tears for McGonagall, while Colin informed everyone they'd watched her be brought back inside the castle. Alicia said with confidence Madam Pomfrey would sort her out.

They finally felt a sigh of relief escape them, Harry's loudest of all as some of his worry tried to loosen him, but not enough. Remus and Lily sat back down uneasily as they tried not to picture such a thing happening on the grounds, but the look on Harry's face somehow warned them to keep on the edge, as he kept himself stiff at his father's side and locked in on Sirius, his heart thudding so loud they were sure they could all hear it in his still thumping adrenaline pulsing out.

The common room was up the rest of the night coming up with revenge for Umbridge. None were quite satisfying enough, though Ron's of feeding her to starving Blast-Ended Skrewts had its merits.

That one worked, Remus felt a burst of laughter escape him that died swiftly in the room, but no one begrudged him for trying.

Their final exam was History of Magic.

Harry made a keening noise louder than ever, and it was frightening. What worse thing was going to happen than their real current Headmistress being struck down like that?! James's hand tightened harder than ever upon Harry's shoulder, but he couldn't even look at him, he was solely locked on the key to this problem.

He loathed having to spend his morning going over years of Hermione's notes. He was exhausted, all he really wanted was for this one to be over, to go out onto the Quidditch pitch and have a go on Ron's broom.

"You more than deserve that, honestly I'm surprised I haven't heard of this long before now," Sirius looked up and around at Harry, forcing a smile he didn't really feel into place, and it set them all off greatly he couldn't be bothered to return it for a second. His eyes remained distant, lost somewhere none could see, but still his every attention was riveted on Sirius.

Sirius sighed heavily but decided to stop side stepping around this, Harry wasn't going to be soothed until something changed.

It took all of his concentration to flip his exam over and begin, and it took several moments for letters to appear into words.

Lily shook her head pitifully for this, but she supposed it was the best circumstances that could be offered. At least everyone failed this class.

It felt torturous, he flat out skipped an opinion question over wand legislation and the goblin riots.

"I don't even remember that ever being a topic," Remus shook his head too fast, but still hoping some normal flow of conversation would be of some help.

He tried his hand at the Statue of Secrecy breached in 1749 but knew he'd missed important parts like vampires coming in at some point.

"Now I know you're sleep deprived, it was hags, not vampires," James offered though he had no more clue than Harry, and still failed to get a response.

Finally Harry found one from the notes he'd gone over just this morning covering the International Confederation of Wizards and why Liechtenstein refused to join.

Lily hummed at the lucky circumstance, wishing as much as anyone this would skip already, that Harry would just get a moment of peace before he collapsed on himself like he was so clearly fixing to do.

He began with Pierre Bonaccord's contested appointment,

Remus gave a false yawn, glancing around for a pillow though really his eyes never stopped tracking Harry, looking for just a hint he was going to relax any second, realize the danger had passed at least for one second.

while all around Harry the distracting noise of quills were scratching on parchment like scurrying, burrowing rats.

Sirius gave a heavy shiver, he hated Harry seemed to use that description a lot.

He couldn't remember. He gazed at the back of Parvati's head, wishing he could use Legilimency and remember what he'd done, sure it had something to do with trolls.

Harry went cross eyed in pain, wishing his mind would crack open already and relieve this stress, why had his mind chosen now to bring that up!

He closed his eyes tight to picture it, finally the lines coming back to him of the circumstances involving mountain trolls, that had been it. He got another few lines in but still didn't feel it was long enough, Hermione had four pages on the topic.

"That's never helpful, she tries to remember too much," James muttered something he'd known about her since her first year hoping just for a moment to distract Harry which still didn't work.

He closed his eyes again, straining to put in some other details...but then his eyes didn't open back in the hall, but the long dark corridor. He eagerly ran down it once again, back through the dark circular room with many doors.

"Oh no," James groaned deeply, his hand tightening more than ever on Harry's shoulder, refusing to let go until he knew it was going to be okay. That was getting harder to manage though, as they all finally grasped this must be what had him so on edge, they were all back to that same icy exterior as well. The last time Harry had been so set off, was when Arthur was being attacked...

All the way until he was back in the large cathedral sized room, and now he was sprinting, knowing the thing he wanted most was in here. He turned down row ninety seven, and there at the end was a huddled figure, like a wounded animal on the ground.

Harry tried to recoil away, but James had no clue who he was trying to reach for, so he just pulled Harry back tighter to him. He wasn't going to let him go guilt tripping over this one, no matter who was in there guarding this mystery thing.

A voice issued from his own mouth, a high, cold voice empty of any human kindness,

Sirius finally flipped to the last page of this, his hand as slick upon the binding as it was white knuckled. 'Don't let it be Arthur again,' his mind pleaded, 'the man had suffered enough!'

Instructing for it to be taken down. When whatever it was on the floor didn't respond, Harry used the Crucio spell.

"Voldemort's, inside, the Ministry," Lily brokenly whispered, this being the first thing she could think of what to connect to. Her fear intensified, wondering how this had happened, there was no way the man could waltz in there and torture someone for this. It may not even be an Order member now, it was still the middle of Harry's afternoon!

She wanted more than anything to stop Sirius, to try and let Harry collect himself for a moment, but Sirius was fidgeting with agitation on the page and noticed nothing, like he wasn't even aware he was reading anymore, just wanting to finish this and know the latest victim already Harry was going to have to find out about in the worst way possible.

The man on the floor let out a scream of pain, attempted to stand but fell back, writhing.

Harry wasn't breathing, of that James was now positive. He hardly registered his own fear anymore, was hardly watching Sirius. He feared for the life of whomever this was, but he had eyes only for his son.

Voldemort hissed at the newly pained man and told him to fetch it as he could not, then his pain would end fast.

Sirius Black just laughed, and said Voldemort would have to kill him first.

James's hand fell from Harry's shoulder.

HPHPHPHP

* Favorite quote of the whole series! I'm still in awe I got this far! Let me know yours!

** I know not everyone's a McGonagall fan, but this right here is my favorite moment for her, the same reason I would have Crucio'd someone if they'd spat in her face. You can say what you will about her odd behaviour in first year, but the moments of her in this book are just pure and utter brilliance of her very character.

[carewyncromwell]

((Previously on “Quest for the Quidditch Cup”...))

[It seemed Carewyn wasn’t the only one surprised to find out that Rath was going to be on the Wigtown Wanderers’ roster next year. Even Orion and Murphy, arguably two of Skye’s closest friends and associates, had yet to hear the news. Only Face Paint Kid seemed to have caught wind of it, and he’d only found out very recently himself. Carewyn thought it explained quite a bit about why Skye and Rath were that bit more at each other’s throats than usual -- the Wigtown Wanderers were founded by Skye’s family and there had always been a Parkin on it since its creation. Carewyn was honestly a bit surprised that Rath had tried out for that team in particular while knowing that, but, she supposed, that really didn’t matter.

Carewyn caught up with Skye the following morning, inside the Quidditch tent. Skye looked rather less assured of herself than usual -- although her shoulders were straight and proud, there was a notable discomfort in how she looked at Carewyn. Even though she was taller than her, Skye still seemed to be looking at Carewyn from below, somehow.]

“Yes. I found out about Rath joining the Wanderers next year.”

[Skye’s lips came together in a tight line. Her eyes drifted down to the ground uncomfortably.]

“Why didn’t you tell anyone?”

Skye: “I hadn’t really planned not to. It just...ended up that way.”

[She swallowed.]

Skye: “I found out last week. Dad had stopped by the Three Broomsticks during our Hogsmeade weekend, to tell me about the line-up for next season. I was so excited to see my name on the list -- but then, right below it...I saw Rath’s name.”

[Her eyes narrowed on the floor, not just angrily but rather miserably.]

Skye: “I got mad. Told Dad it’d be mental to choose Rath, that it’d be a disaster. I asked how he could do that to me -- choose my rival, for our team...and...”

[Her eyes welled up with hurt.]

Skye: “...He just... he yelled right back at me. He said that I’d been lucky to be chosen, that he’d had to fight hard to get me on the roster -- that any Quidditch captain would be more likely to pick someone like Rath with a winning record and emotional restraint than someone who’s a sore loser even more than she’s a sore winner.”

[Carewyn’s eyes grew a little smaller in understanding, but she didn’t speak. Skye took hold of her right arm and squeezed it.]

Skye: “At first I was mad, but...well...my dad was right. I’ve been awful. (lowly) ...I’m still awful.”

[She raised her gaze to look up at Carewyn again at last.]

Skye: “I don’t know why I get so mad sometimes, I just...lose it. I’ve hated Rath so long, and I can’t help but feel like I always will. And hearing people side with her...it hurts.” 

[Carewyn crossed her arms.]

“(reproachfully) Accepting the truth is not taking sides...unless you’re determined to stand by something you know isn’t true.”

Skye: “(lowly) I know. I knew that then too, I think, I just...in that moment, I just...it felt like an attack...even though I know it wasn’t. Even though I know Orion didn’t mean it that way. Just like...I knew back then, in fourth year...you weren’t attacking me either, when you said I was wrong.”

[Carewyn quirked an eyebrow. Skye exhaled heavily.]

Skye: “The truth is...I’ve resented myself for ages after you left us, Carewyn. You were a smashing Chaser, and more than that...you could’ve been a smashing Quidditch Captain, after Orion and I graduated. And the only reason you’re not on our team is because you took the high road and put our team over our stupid fight. Not like me. All I ever seem to be able to do is think of myself...just like you said.”

[She hung her head in visible shame.]

Skye: “And now...not only did I stupidly get myself hurt right before the biggest match of our lives...but I ended up blabbing my big mouth to Rita Skeeter, who’ll no doubt crow to the whole world now about how I’m this huge liar trying to besmirch my future teammate’s reputation...she’ll probably use it to tear down the entire Slytherin team too. I thought Rath being punished for having hurt me on purpose would keep her from playing too, so you all wouldn’t have to face her and maybe Dad would reconsider having her on our team, but...it all just blew up in my face. Just like it always does...”

[Carewyn could’ve sworn she saw some tears forming in Skye’s eyes.]

Skye: “Every step of the way, even when I try to make things right...all I ever seem to do is fail them.”

[Carewyn considered Skye for a long moment, her blue eyes resting on the top of her head. Then, in a gesture of pity, she extended a hand and took hold of Skye’s shoulder.]

“...I suppose you went to make up with Rath because you knew you’d be on the same team soon?”

[Skye nodded gloomily.]

Skye: “Fat load of good it did.”

“It was a good impulse.”

[Carewyn took a deep breath and then exhaled heavily.]

“Look, Skye...I’m not going to act like you haven’t made a lot of mistakes. I said the same thing as much to Rath, when I told her we knew she hadn’t hurt you on purpose. But at the same time, she wanted your apology. She was irritated that I’d come on your behalf -- that I’d tried to mend fences, in your stead. That can only mean she wanted you to be the one to reach out.”

[Skye was startled by this.]

Skye: “...You think she’d listen to me?”

“Maybe not at first. Again, there’s a lot of damage that’s been done. You’re probably not going to be able to earn her forgiveness easily -- it’s something you’d have to work toward. And you’d probably have to take a lot of time to look at things from each other’s point of view, in order to come together.”

[Skye looked a little uncertain. Carewyn couldn’t entirely blame her -- empathy had never been one of Skye’s strong suits.]

Skye: “What do you mean?”

“Well, for one, Rath sees the application process very differently than you do. You said that your dad had to fight to get you on the team. Rath thinks you had your place on the team gifted to you on a silver platter.”

[Skye looked furious.]

Skye: “What?! So she thinks I’m some spoiled little -- !?”

“(very sharply) Calm down and listen before you blow up like a volcano again.”

[Skye fumed silently. Carewyn settled her voice back down into a more level, patient tone.]

“Like Orion said, it’s not the truth, but it is her truth. And if you try to look at things from her perspective, I can see why. She’s worked really hard to get as good as she is, all without coming from a legendary Quidditch family. Hell...even without having a really good coach.”

[She offered Skye a very small wry smile. Skye’s expression cleared slightly.]

“From Rath’s perspective, she and the Ravenclaws have worked hard to earn the Quidditch Cup they’ve won the last five years.”

Skye: “(defensively) And we haven’t?”

“Of course we have. Both things can be true. The important thing is that you have more in common than you think. You both have worked really hard to try to prove yourselves on the Quidditch pitch. You both have tried hard to be worthy of the Wigtown Wanderers name. You feel you have a lot to prove, because your family comes from Quidditch -- Rath feels she has a lot to prove, because her family doesn’t.”

[Skye looked at Carewyn with a bizarre expression -- half bewildered, half admiring.]

Skye: “...Rath told you all that?”

[Carewyn smirked broadly.]

“(amusedly) No, I surmised a lot of it.”

[She put her hands on her wide hips in a more business-like manner.]

“Now then...do you still want to help? We could use you.”

[Skye blinked in surprise.]

Skye: “Of course I do! You...you still want my help?”

“(dryly) You’re the seventh member of the Slytherin team, remember? I’m just your placeholder. (more seriously) We’ve gotten a lead about Rath’s possible weakness.”

“I reckon with how long you’ve played Quidditch and how well you know all the positions, you’d be the best person to help us suss out a way to use this information against her.”

[Skye looked a little uncertain.]

Skye: “You sure about that?”

[Murphy and Orion had entered the tent. They were both smiling -- Carewyn guessed they’d probably overheard a lot more of her and Skye’s conversation than they might admit.]

Murphy: “If we don’t come up with a new strategy, Ravenclaw has a 92.4% chance of winning the Quidditch Cup.”

Orion: “It will take all four of us to devise a way to use our opponent’s vulnerability to our advantage. We cannot do it without you, Skye -- nor would we wish to.”

[Even though Orion’s voice was as dreamy and detached as ever, the sentiment came through all the same. Skye looked quite touched.

Murphy frowned in thought.]

Murphy: “Of course we don’t know exactly where Rath’s blind spot is...it’ll be hard to strategize without that kind of critical information.”

Skye: “(more confidently than ever) We should be able to figure it out by analyzing her past matches. After all, every player has their weakness, but they’re usually aware of it, so they’ll often try to compensate for that weakness or find a way to hide it from the opposing team. Like, take Andre Egwu. Great flier, not so great on blocking out distractions -- hence why he’s a Keeper and not a Seeker, even if he’s got the build and speed for it.”

[Carewyn nodded.]

“Or my lack of strength -- hence why I’m a Chaser, not a Beater.”

Orion: “Or Charlie Weasley’s hyper-focus. Rath has been able to take advantage of that, by attacking him while he’s focused on pursuing the Snitch.”

Skye: “Exactly!”

[Skye considered this carefully. Then her eyes lit up.]

Skye: “...Focus...”

Skye: “In the final match against Gryffindor last season? She nearly knocked him out of the sky. Could’ve cost Ravenclaw the Quidditch Cup, her smacking down their Seeker like that...”

[Carewyn remembered -- she’d gone to that match, to support Charlie. She was glad she had too, given that yet again Rath had knocked him off his broom and denied Gryffindor the Quidditch Cup for the fifth year straight.]

“Her teammate was over her left shoulder -- just like you were, when Face Paint Kid saw you approach Rath!”

[Skye’s eyes widened.]

Skye: “Then...she really didn’t see me at all! I was in her blind spot!”

[Her face broke out into a huge triumphant grin.]

[Murphy suddenly looks very excited.]

Murphy: “Ravenclaw’s winning strategy in the last five final matches has been to have Rath hit a Bludger at the opposing Seeker so that the Ravenclaw Seeker can swoop in and grab the Snitch while they’re down! But if someone’s already right there in the area to protect the Seeker -- someone who Rath can’t see -- then there’s a 97.2% chance that Slytherin can prevent that from happening all together!”

Skye: “Right! All we need is for Night or Quinn to be over Rath’s left shoulder around the time Kaylisa goes for the Snitch!”

[Carewyn’s smiling broadly too.]

“That’s brilliant!”

[Orion’s dark eyes sparkled with a similar kind of triumphant satisfaction as Skye’s.]

Orion: “It will take a lot of teamwork to make sure we can work together as one, as part of this strategy.”

((OOC: Well, well, looks like Skye isn’t completely hopeless. ;) I might not love how her character’s written in game or think she and Carewyn would really be friends, but I do like writing her with more complexity, just like I do for Orion and the others. <33

The Slytherin Beaters referenced are Night Rhea @nightrhea-hphm​ and Sabrina “Quinn” Mercurenius @danceworshipper​ -- I’ve given the Seeker an original name, Kaylisa Fortescue, because we see close-up screenshots of the Slytherin Seeker in game.))

[tillyblogs]

BNHA HOGWARTS AU

You can see the art here in my ART BLOG! Also my Twitter! ❤️ 💚

Here and here and HERE too! 

 Thread of Hogwarts AU headcanons cause I’m super into this (I’m a pottehead so it makes sense) Mostly BKDK (I Edited a bit from my twt thread tho

LONG POST BELOW

Kacchan’s a pureblood (child prodigy) and Deku is a muggleborn (he was always teased by him for it) They both grew up in the same neighborhood, but weren’t exactly friends. Katsuki always knew he was going to go to Hogwarts, his family is well known in the Wizarding World.

They were from different worlds but Izuku always admired Katsuki’s ambition, he knew Kacchan had something no one he knew had and Izuku shared his secret of being a wizard, he wanted to be one so badly but he didn’t come from a family of wizards so he lost hope. 

When Izuku learned he was a wizard, Izuku was thrilled then but Katsuki was confused??... he’s known him his whole life, plus he’s a mudblood... :(

Izuku was confused by this... he didn’t mind being a muggleborn, he was just happy to be a wizard, yet Kacchan teased Izuku for it. Kacchan knew he was being shitty with that, after all purebloods are no longer considered the huge thing they once were, but something about Izuku intrigued him a great deal... he was always following him... 

When they were 11 they god the letter. They both were gonna got to Hogwarts and Izuku was the happiest he’s been!

FIRST YEAR

Once Deku got into Gryffindor, Katsuki was furious... Katsuki getting into Slytherin himself... he was going to show him how better he was to those pesty Gryffindors... 

It reminded Kacchan of that one time when they were kids... when Izuku saved him when he fell in the river... he scoffed. He was still greater than him and he was going to prove it....

Other Sortings (Class A*) 

Todoroki (Slytherin) 

Ochako (Gryffindor)

Tenya (Hufflepuff) 

Tsuyu (Ravenclaw)

Momo (Ravevnclaw) 

Kirishima (Hufflepuff) 

Kaminari (Hufflepuff)

Mina (Gryffindor) 

Jirou (Slytherin)

Tokoyami (Ravenclaw) etc

Sortings (Class B)+Shinsou (cause I want him to be in Class B bye)

 Monoma (Slytherin)

 Tetsutetsu (Gryffindor)

 Kendo (Gryffindor)

 Shinsou (Slytherin) 

Awase (Gryffindor maybe Hufflepuff) 

Ibara (Hufflepuff) 

Kuroiro (Slytherin) 

Juzo (Hufflepuff) 

Komori (Hufflepuff) 

Tsuburaba (Hufflepuff)

Anyways bkdk... 

Katsuki ADORES Quidditch and wants to become #1, he’s so good at it! but Deku loved it too... So they both made it to tryouts and always try to one up each other. They are so competitive. Katsuki had the Firebolt from the get go but Deku still was so good at flying with his petty broom. 

Katsuki wasn’t too keen of pets but he was quite fond of his Great Horned Owl; it was the biggest in the classroom he was pretty proud of him. For some REALLY STRANGE reason, two shitty Hufflepuffs? of all things mustard and ketchup hair decided they wanted to follow him... He evaded them like the plague but they kept coming... they’re okay he guesses. Students from all houses start to notice him too... 

Katsuki’s fave subject apart from Quidditch is Defense Against the Dark Arts cause he just wants to show everyone how good he is at kicking ass (he’s good at every subject tho). Katsuki’s the golden child among other Slytherins but as soon as he hears how well Todoroki and Deku are doing in class he always tries even harder. Of course he beats them.

Deku’s fave subjects are Charms, Transfiguration and Alchemy, tho he’s soft for CMC, but nothing gets better than flying. The first time he saw Katsuki fly, he knew he wanted to do the same and compete and to know how good it feels to be #1. Deku made great friends in Hogwarts but he’s always attentive of Katsuki. There’s something about that Slytherin, the way he’s so driven to succeed and his ambition and cunning mind. 

When Gryffindor won the Quidditch cup in first year, Kacchan swore he was going to pay... Deku however was growing more a more admired by everyone and he was so kind and smart and his smile shined so brightly. The blonde Slytherin couldn’t STAND his little group and how DARE Deku befriend that Todoroki bastard... he too was a Slytherin... 

THIRD YEAR 

Katsuki is starting to lose it... that little Gryffindor... how COULD he save him?! That time the Hippogriff almost tears his arm off... he just got distracted ok?! he was doing fine! Deku was brave but lacked self preservation... that pissed Katsuki off

He thought he could do anything but Katsuki proved him wrong and yes... He still smiles at him... Or that one time they crossed paths that winter in Hogsmeade... Kacchan was walking alone towards The Three Broomsticks when he almost feel into Izuku, he was carrying something he couldn’t see and got curious cause Izuku tried to hide it as soon as possible. He followed him for weeks, that little nerd... what WAS he hiding? He finally confronted him one day near the lake when he found out Deku has been sneaking a cat to his dorms OHOHO it was time to pay! But Deku begged him to keep the secret... Katsuki said that if he wins in their next match he will keep the secret, of course Deku wins... Kacchan reluctantly let’s it go... doesn’t care about some cat anyway... Deku is so excited! God that smile was too bright... He still thought he was a loser. Slytherin won the House cup though, Deku swore he will win next time with a determined look on his face.

FOURTH YEAR 

They were fine he guesses... Until the Triwizard Tournament... Deku got CHOSEN? WHY? Over him?? When he worked SO HARD for it??? And Deku still participated. Katsuki saw red... HE wanted to be the one to be chosen, he’s way better than him! They didn’t talk for half the year. Deku tried to make the most of it... he was even failing in Quidditch since he was only concentrated in the tournament. Bald Head and that illusion chick from those other schools also showed up but he didn’t care... he didn’t care about these games anyway...

Katsuki didn’t even bother going to the Yule Ball even though everyone wanted to be his date (after all he was the golden boy) and it totally didn’t have anything to do with the fact that Deku already had a date and it was Cheeks for some reason, he still didn’t understand... Kirishima tried to cheer him up to no avail.

Slytherin won the House cup but it didn’t feel like a victory... After Deku won the cup, he apologized to Katsuki for not focusing on Quidditch enough and that he will try harder next year... 

FIFTH YEAR 

Deku and Round Face were a thing he thinks, he’s totally NOT well informed.  Deku's focus on the House Cup was 10 times bigger than ever before, that drove Katsuki up the wall. It was perhaps the most invested he’s been in years. Their rivalry was at its highest and Katsuki’s sole purpose was to crush that little Gryffindor... 

Months passed and ok what was HAPPENING... 

Katsuki definitely was NOT distracted by the fact that Deku’s concentration on Defense Against the Dark Arts for their paired up assignment was very alluring. Deku’s focus on classes was making Katsuki feel drawn. Also fact that his hair was shaggier and that his own owl liked him? And that time those green eyes were greener than usual one day and made him almost explode the whole room for mixing the wrong ingredients in Potions... Izuku was realized he really liked being paired up with Kacchan in DADA, something he can’t explain yet. Like learning from him made it want to be closer to him.

After a few months, Deku and Round Face break up... Gryffindor won the House Cup that year... and for some reason Katsuki DEFINITELY didn’t know about... he felt accomplished. 

SIXTH YEAR 

Things were definitely not okay? Somehow studying Charms with Deku was becoming more fun than spending time in his dorm alone. Deku’s smile shined more brightly by the day. Their teamwork was becoming well known... they actually worked good together on their assignments. Quidditch was no longer becoming a competition but a refreshing stimulation where Katuski was allowed to let loose and really feel the adrenaline of competing with Deku and seeing his satisfied look on his face when he lost. He discovered he liked the look on Deku’s eyes every time Katsuki scored a point... The way Deku smirked at him... The way his lips tasted after he caught him in the dressing room-WAIT

Yep, he ran... they didn’t talk for a week. The world hated him and they were assigned again for Herbology... things did NOT go on well. Kacchan didn’t do feelings and for DEKU? since when? No. no. Deku looked confused and hurt but he brushed it off. 

On Christmas he received a strange present from Honeydukes. Green Acid Pops... his favorite. Only Deku knew that... The rest of the year they didn’t talk. Assignments where weird and people started noticing. They were supposed to be a team. Not to mention the fact that Izuku also turned down any date invitation he had.

Slytherin won that year’s House cup and he was NOT happy. 

SEVENTH YEAR

Yeah no he couldn’t stand not talking to him... he missed his voice. God that sounded corny. He’s more pissed than anything. He will NOT talk to him. 

In one very messy and rainy game where he fell of his broom and Deku caught him, they were both in the infirmary how convenient... He should be pissed Deku saved him... Again. they were not friends... right?

He didn’t look at him in the eye while he was patched up by the nurse. When she finally left  them alone. Katsuki didn’t know what to do with himself, he was about to tell Deku off, he didn’t need his pity, he didn’t need him saving him. Not after everything. He was self-sufficient. 

Deku kissed him. wait. When did he get close? Good thing too cause he as immobilized and wanted to punch him. But didn’t. In fact he kissed harder, he still wanted to be the best at it. The biggest weight was lifted. Who knew kissing Deku would be as thrilling as flying. He realized then. He had a new goal and it was to keep feeling like this for as long as he could. Izuku smiled when he saw Katsuki’s satisfied face. Yep. He thought of the same.

Things went pretty smoothly after: dressing rooms started to have more use to them than the actual Quidditch court, he NEVER sneaked out of the dorms until this year... he should be ashamed, he was the golden boy after all. And the grounds near the lake were perfect make out zone. Damn him for falling for a Gryffindor...

Hogsmeade trips were more fun than they ever were; little dates with Izuku meant seeing him smile more often and blushing. On winter he kept him warm when he visited the Slytherin dorms, he was quite welcome sine he was also friends with Half’n’Half. Gryffindors weren’t as bad as he thought after all... Everyone knew of course. They both didn’t bother hiding it. Even Cheeks was happy for them, it’s almost like she knew all along and Katsuki was the reason for their break up... He should feel bad but Izuku and Ochako were very good friends. 

Hufflepuff won the House cup that year. They both graduated with honors so who cares right? 

THE END. 🤗

[wotters-nextgen]

The Wotters

Teddy Lupin:

Hufflepuff

In love with Victoire since he was 4

The only people he admires more than Harry are his parents

Was born two days before full moon

When he was at Hogwarts, he became prefect and then Head Boy

It’s impossible to dislike

When someone of the cousin has every kind of problem, they go to him

Likes to see Quidditch but not doing it 

although he always looks different, he has always a pink lock in his mother’s memory, and his hair is blue most of the time.

He also has some piercing, but don’t let the punk look fool you, he is such a lovable sweetheart.

If he cares about you, you are very lucky

Victoire Weasley:

Ravenclaw

Two years younger than Teddy

Probably the most charming of her cousins, but she is so much more than the “blonde and beautiful” Rita Skeeter describee in an article

In fact, she is very smart, and she could pass her exams even without studying

She has a strong connection with her mum, maybe because they were both accused of having no brain

learned wandless magic with Hermione’s help because too many people said it was too difficult for her

The Weasley girls always go to her for love advice

Very attached to Luis and Dominique, they are probably the most close of the Wotters brothers

Has planned her wedding with Teddy since she was a baby

insults everyone in French with a loving face

Loves French and France in general

James Sirius Potter:

Gryffindor

In the same year with Fred

If you think he is like his nameseekers then you are right

With Fred, he is the biggest troublemaker that Hogwarts has ever had since the Weasley twins

Loud. Like, extremely loud. Like, you can recognize his voice in the Great Hall

Very protective with the other Wotters

If they get caught during a prank, he takes all the blame, no matter what the others say

The straightest boy you’ll ever knew

But when someone of the family eventually comes out, he’ll take them to every near Gay Pride

he even organizes one at Hogwarts for Louis

Has a love-hate relationships with Albus and Lily

Best friend with Fred

Obsessed with Quidditch, Becomes Captain of the Gryffindor team in his fifth year (he is a Chaser)

Also, he is kind of a womanizer, until he falls in love with a girl named Angélica

Fred Weasley II:

Gryffindor

In the same year with James

Started to prank because he felt he had to be like Fred I

However, he liked it, so he became one of the best prankster Hogwarts has  ever had

Puts tons of sugar in his coffee

gave nicknames to all of his cousins

Beater in the Gryffindor team since third year

Loves Roxanne more than life itself, but wouldn’t admit that even under torture

Accepts every challenge; the craziest one was to put fiftty mini hot dogs in his mouth. He won

Rose Granger-Weasley:

Gryffindor

In the same year with Albus, Roxanne, Molly and Dominique

Prefect

Although she is the brightest witch of her age with Molly, don’t even think about compare her to her mother; she hates it, not because she hates Hermione, but because she’s not Hermione

Sweet but very fiery, so don’t test her fury

In a trio with Dominique and Albus

Hates Quidditch with a passion, but she always comes to the matches, firstly for her cousins and then for Scorpius too

Has the same messy hair of her mother, just less frizzy, but she didn’t mind at all. Actually, she liked it

A feminist

Gets excited easily

Drinks at least three cups of tea every day

Very close to her dad

Competitive and perfectionist, she always clashes with Scorpius in classes

Loves Scorpius’ name, and thinks hers is boring. But she always smells like roses, because she uses shampoo and bubble bath made with that flower. It’s cute, isn’t it?

Albus Severus Potter:

Slytherin

Yes, you read tha right, and NO ONE has problem with that, neither Rose nor Harry nor everyone else, because they are his family and they love him. Did you understand, J.K. Rowling?

In the same year with Molly, Dominique, Rose and Roxanne

Hates his second name. At first, while studying the Second Wizarding War in History of Magic, he couldn’t understand why his dad called him after a man that hated him and who was so brutal with, but when Harry decided to tell him all the story, he finally does. Anyway he still doesn’t like it

Even if he was named after a potionist, he sucks in the subject

however, he is great at Quidditch, so he was named Captain of the team in his sixth year

He and James, instead of ask advice of the sport to their parents, they go to Charlie. You know, the “Cool Uncle” story and all

Al and not Albus

Is head over heels for Alice Longbottom (but can’t admit it neither with himself)

Bestmate with Scorp

his favourite cousin is Rose

Also close to Roxanne for being the only Weasley-Potter Slytherins

At some point he didn’t know who he was because of all the pression being the Harry Potter’s son, thing that didn’t happen to James and Lily because of their stronger personalities

Dominique Weasley:

Gryffindor

in the same year with Rose, Albus, Molly and Roxanne

Unlike her sister, she has no problem showing her feminine side in everything she does

Loves doing her cousins’ hair, she also asked her aunt Angelina to teach her to do Roxanne’s

When Matt Finnigan told her for the firt time he loves her, she couldn’t believe it

Really ambitious, in fact the Sorting Hat took a while to decide to put her in Gryffindor or in Slytherin

everything has to be like she wants

For that, she is also pretty good at school

If the coversation is not going where she wants, she will find the way to change the subject

Every guy and not-straight girls at Hogwarts has a crush on her, so before Matt she had a lot of other stories

Roxanne Weasley:

Slytherin, the only one of the family with Albus

In the same year with him, Rose, Molly and Dominique

Clumsy, funny and a badass

Has a beautiful voice, but didn’t mind until she was fourteen, when she really started singing

However, her real passion is Quidditch

Keeper

Has a strong connection with Molly, even though they are very different

Probably bisexual, but she was never interested in everyone until an exchange guy from Beuxbatons named Charles comes to Hogwarts in her sixth year

Has braids most of the time because her hair is very wild

Molly Weasley II:

Ravenclaw

Maybe even more intelligent than Rose, but this quality with a little bit of shyness who shows with everyone who aren’t her family or friends is often mistaken with rigidity

Knowing her, you’ll know she’s so much more than that

She’s curius, humble, pure, and a hard-worker

Hates to try different things

Always there for her family and the people who loves

Remus Lupin is her hero

Always ready for any kind of situation, the only thing she didn’t know how to deal with was falling in love with Lorcan Scamander

As studious as her father, and likes spending time studying or in the library

Prefect and then Head Girl

Lily Luna Potter:

Gryffindor

She. Is. Flawless

As feminine as Dominique

Popular

Likes to flirt with Lysander and making him blush

Thinks her mother is the coolest of all (and she is right)

In a duo since birth with Hugo

Life of the parties

Gets drunk very easily

Very challenging with herself, she has always new goals

Starts conversations from nowhere with everyone, and makes friends easily

Hates injustices and has a strong moral

Her red hair are a little more darker than Molly, Rose and hugo’s, like her grandmother Lily’s one

Hugo Granger-Weasley:

Gryffindor

Best friend with Louis and Lysander

Looks exactly like his father

and is the only one who has beaten him in Magic Chess

Remembers everything

Funny and clumsy

probably the more positive of the cousins

Sometimes he think he couldn’t do anything without Lily

Keeper

obsessed with Chudley Cannons

His reference point is Teddy

Really clever but hates studying

has strange conjectures about everything

Louis Weasley:

Ravenclaw

Him and Hugo are inseparable

Gay

I imagine him being very similar to Kurt Hummel from Glee

So basically until his fourth year he is this very shy boy who can’t accept himself

Then he had the courage to come out to his family

And they were very supportive and explained him there was nothing wrong about being who he was

So in fifth year he starts a kind of transformation

and became a very eccentric and extrovert guy

Understands he likes singing and has a beautiful voice

Him and Roxanne do a lot of duets

Some people bullied him

But James was always ready to kick their asses

And so were all the other cousins

They started the “Louis Protection Squad”

where there was Scorpius, Alexander Zabini and the Scamander twins too

Lucy Weasley:

Hufflepuff

the youngest of the cousins

kindest person of the world

Can’t argue or being angry

Likes to hug other people randomly

George always pulls her pranks trying to make her angry

But she always laugh and then hug him

she is also his favorite of the kids

hasn’t lots of friends because people tend to think she’s strange

for that she reminds everyone of Luna Lovegood

[bellsandwhistlcs-blog]

hey what’s up hello, i’m bex & i’m super stoked to be playing katie. i think she’s a lot different than a lot of characters i’ve played before & i’m excited to explore her ! ( also i’m trash for a good zoey deutch fc so ... yeah ) a lil about me: i’m twenty-fun years old, i live in est, & i use she/her + they/them pronouns. a fun fact: i have a cat named gremlin & she lives up to her name

Merlin’s beard, what is ( KATIE BELL ) doing out at this hour? For a ( PUREBLOOD ) who is ( 18 ) years old, ( SHE ) really ought to know better. You know, I hear that they’re aligned with ( THE D.A. ), but that could be just a rumor. I do know that they’re ( A CIS-WOMAN ) and a ( GRYFFINDOR ) student though. They’re very ( BRIGHT ) and ( CHARISMATIC ) but also quite ( COCKY ) and ( ERRATIC ), which could be why they remind of ( A THIN SMILE LIKE THE CURVE OF A CRESCENT MOON, A BLUSH ON YOUR FACE AS PINK AS MORNING SKY, THE CLEVER CHIRP OF A QUIP AND A LAUGH ). Some people say they’re the spitting image of ( ZOEY DEUTCH ), but I’ve never heard of them. ( &&. BEX. 21. EST. SHE/HER + THEY/THEM. )

HISTORY

the name bell might not hold much weight in the wizarding world. it is the name of a scottish family who has always teetered on eschewing pureblood values in exchange for things like righteousness and kindness. they don’t hold wealth, not in the indulgent fashion pureblood families like the malfoys and zabinis have done in the past, and they don’t associate themselves in the happenings of high society. they are content in this role, never seeking more. of course, it should not be forgotten the name bell has one prominence in the muggle world. alexander graham bell was not a muggle as many assume. instead, he was a squib, sent off by the family to a cousin of a cousin when it was realized he was not magical like the rest. it’s a great shame to the family, but he made his own course. he couldn’t do magic in the traditional sense, but he did find it in the muggle world, creating the first muggle tellyphone. perhaps this is selfish, but the bells that remained at the time found solace in their choosing to send him away when he found his own success.

katie bell was born in 1979, the third child to lachlan and mackenzie bell ( gryffindor and ravenclaw, respectively ). her elder siblings, calum and aila, were near in age to her, and the three were very close as siblings went. they wandered the fields during, navigating the stream behind their house and traversing the woods, and playing quidditch once the sun began to set. sometimes, they even got their parents to join in. mackenzie was a star chaser back in her day, playing professionally after graduation until she became a correspondent for the daily prophet, and katie wanted to be just like her. katie dressed like her mum, stealing her ravenclaw scarves and riding her broom ( of course, the latter only happened once. mackenzie made it clear that katie was to ride her own broom until she was old enough to properly respect mackenzie’s -- which, to be fair, was a professional racing broom ).

of course, come hogwarts, things didn’t go exactly to plan. she watched her older brother, three years older, be sorted into gryffindor. then, aila was sorted into hufflepuff just a year later. when it was katie’s turn, she still hoped for ravenclaw, if only to be like her mum, but she went into it with an open mind. she would let the hat do what it did best, and let it make the decision for her. when it called out GRYFFINDOR, she paused before nodding, smiling as she made her way to the lion’s table, taking a seat next to calum. she found her own there. she befriended people in her house and outside of it, slytherins excluded ( even katie was pressured into feeling all slytherins were bad, fueling her feelings for the house rivalry ). her favorite thing to do her first year was to watch the quidditch matches ( sometimes she snuck out to watch the practices until the captain -- oliver wood -- chased her out ). she wore her gryffindor scarf with pride and cheered until her throat was hoarse. it was no surprise when she tried out the next year.

to make the team her second year ( which -- to her pride -- was a year before her mother made her own house team ) was absolutely brilliant. she was thrilled to play chaser like her mum. really, being in the air was like nothing else. it was fun and exhilarating and nothing could compare ( she would say that until she felt the rush and burn of firewhiskey coursing through her her fourth year ). her future was set in stone. like oliver, who had come to not see her as the annoying quidditch-obsessed first year she once was, she wanted to play professionally. there really wasn’t any other choice. of course, as she aged, things changed. her love for quidditch didn’t dwindle, but she grew other interests. she learned to put her friends first ( something she didn’t do for the longest of times ) and she came to value them more than anyone else. she realized that, as a person, she couldn’t have such a one track mind. maybe that’s why she joined dumbledore’s army her sixth year ( -- besides the overwhelming fact it was the right thing to do ).

darkness was brewing in the wizarding world but it hadn’t touched katie or the rest of the bells, something they were endlessly thankful for. they were scared of loss, as many were, and were content in staying firmly in middle ground. they had their opinions, yes, and voldemort and his shocking regime were surely wrong, but they like many others were scared of being hurt and scared of death. perhaps it was cowardly -- no, it undoubtedly was, but fear has a way of ruining the resolve of the strongest. of her family, katie was the most reckless, they said, as she was the only one to do anything that would stake her place in this war, which she did in joining dumbledore’s army. she didn’t tell her family for obvious reasons, but how could she not do what was right ? her friends were joining, and she believed in harry potter more than the ministry -- it was the only choice.

of course, it was all fun and games, the reality of the war that was coming had yet to hit katie, until she was cursed. the imperius. she remembers it vaguely, the feeling like her actions weren’t her own. it was uncomfortable, certainly, but the worst part of it was the necklace. she was arguing with leanne about the delivery of it and then -- pain. it was like nothing she had ever known, and nothing she would ever wish on anyone, not even her worst enemy. it took her six months to recover in saint mungo’s. everyone asked but she could tell them nothing about who did it. eventually, they stopped prying, leaving her to recover. it took a long time, and sometimes she’ll shut her eyes and a flash of pain will course through her, just a fragment of what she experienced but still enough to scare her that it’s starting up again. finally -- finally -- she was able to return to hogwarts in april. 

it was great, giving katie a sense of normalcy once again. of course there were a few weird looks, but it was hogwarts, and she wouldn’t have expected anything else. the gryffindors won the cup and it was great. during this time, she spoke to professor mcgonagall and it was decided she would come back to hogwarts next year to repeat her seventh year. she had missed over half the year and even with professors working with her, it didn’t make sense to give her her newts and pray she passed. of course it was sad to not finish school with her friends, but it was what had to be done.

PERSONALITY

katie has always been easy to talk to, quick with a smile and quicker with a laugh. growing up with two older siblings, sometimes she was talked over, and really she has a lot to say. some of it’s random chatter, but occasionally it’s not. she’s bright, really, she is. she’s quick to grasp information and facts; she’s good at thinking rationally and giving advice. of course, sometimes it’s hard to get katie to focus. she’s constantly going from one thing to another, never settling down to pay attention to anything for too long. talk to katie about things she’s good at ( the list, for reference, includes these things: quidditch, gobstones, making paper fortune tellers, the pepper breath hex, and making dutch babies ) and she won’t stop talking. it’s really unfortunate. she doesn’t realize she might come off as boastful or inconsiderate, she just is proud of her accomplishments. maybe she should realize talking over people isn’t the greatest thing to do but -- katie is katie. 

since being attacked with the necklace, katie has two main moods: defensive and erratic. she has a tendency to be skeptical, to be nervous, which -- really -- is understandable, but it’s almost unceasingly so. she has come to lose trust in her friends and family, when really they’ve been the people who were there for her the most. she needs to relax, though that is easier said than done. on the flip side, she tends to act without thinking. she does what she wants, only thinking about the negative consequences after it’s been done. her rationale is this: she doesn’t want to miss out on doing something because she chickened out. she doesn’t want to lose a chance she might never get again.

quick notes: good intentions, bad execution scared of past, scared of future desire to do the right thing ( stemming from what peers do + a need to do what’s risky ) unintentionally self-absorbed loud + passionate + uninhibited

if you’ve read this far, bless you. not to throw something else at you, but here are some wanted connections.

[arrowheadproductions]

Glad you're back and super excited you're extending your repertoire (if that's what you want to call it) to other fandoms aside from Arrow. I love your writing and I'm actually a huge PJO fan so I was soooo happy to see you're into it too. Can you possibly do a fic of Percy being on the swim team? You can include whatever ships you want (:

Yes! I love Percy Jackson and have for pretty much the past 10 years since I got into reading the books in middle school. It’s always held a soft spot in my heart as one of my favorite universes and I’m always open to writing about it. Anyway, without further adieu, here’s this little beauty (slightly suggestive themes, but nothing smutty/explicit)

Speedos- Rated T

Percy Jackson never ever saw himself as someone that would be considered a jock, but that all changed when he got to college.

I never believed I would ever, in my life, be at the top of the food chain in school. Sure, I’ve beaten Titans, Gods, and saved the world a few times, but I still never expected this luck would translate into my “real” life in the mortal world. 

This all changed when I got to college in California. I managed to squeak into UCSF after being on the waiting list forever while my girlfriend got a full ride to Berkeley. I’m still not sure how I got into school at all let alone a school that’s 45 minutes away from Annabeth. In case my life decides to resume its regularly scheduled dose of trouble, we’re both pretty close to Camp Jupiter and I have my car on campus. 

But anyway, my heart leapt in my chest the way it does when I’m hungry and finally getting dinner when I realized that California was stereotypically full of swimmers. And my school had a pretty good swim team that made you popular. The popularity thing isn’t a big deal for me, since I know who my friends are and don’t really need too many people in my life that I have to lie to or anything, but it was nice not being treated like gum on the bottom of people’s shoes.

Of course I made the team. I can breathe underwater. Do you know how much of an advantage that gives me? Before you accuse me of being cocky or conceited, just remember that I have been given one real gift in this world and this is it. 

I do take a breath for show every lap, which is still super impressive to the mortal eye, but also let’s them know them I’m not a robot or anything. 

That wasn’t to say there weren’t some steep competition. Some of these swimmers made me question if whether or not my father broke his pact more than once in recent years. They’re all super skilled and clearly have put in the work since they were little. So, I actually need to try if I want to earn my place. 

Everyone is pretty cool with me, though. They’ve all tried to ask who my trainer is and my records (that I don’t have), and very few are really buying that I’m just a normal dude that loves to swim. They’ve stopped pestering me though.

Oh Gods, there is one downside to swim team and that’s the actual suit. It squishes everything (and I do mean everything) all together to be on full and compact show for everyone to see. It leaves very little to the imagination and resembled really ugly panties. 

I made a pretty big mistake of mentioning this to Annabeth one Friday night she was staying over in my dorm. My roommate actually ended up being a Gorgon, who I had to smite during orientation (boo!). So, I got my own room (yay!). 

“It can’t be that bad.” She called from outside the bathroom, though I could hear trying to stifle her amusement.

“I’m not coming out.”

“C’mon, Seaweed Brain. I’m going to have to see you in it tomorrow at the meet anyway and that’ll be in public.”

“Yeah, thanks for that.” I grumbled. 

Everyone is coming to my first meet tomorrow: Annabeth, Mom, Paul, Grover, Hazel, Piper, Leo, Jason, Frank, Nico, Tyson, and even Chiron. My old Latin teacher is about to see me in in tight, glorified tidy whities and a swim cap. 

“You’re never going to want to see me, let alone touch me, again after you see me in this thing.”

“I find that very hard to believe.” She said dryly. “I’ve seen you in a toga, remember?”

It took about 30 more minutes to convince me to come out and honestly, my growling stomach had a lot to do in the efforts. She played to my weaknesses and I was finally coaxed to exit the bathroom and likely embarrass myself in front of my girlfriend.

When the door flew open, she did the decent thing and looked at my face first, which I appreciated, but my face was likely the color of a firetruck, which made her eyes wander downwards. When she caught sight of the navy atrocity that left very little to the imagination, her eyes went wide like silver moons and a deep blush flushed to her cheeks and neck. 

She shifted awkwardly as she choked down a laugh. “That’s not… so bad.”

I felt like I was on fire and couldn’t meet her gaze. “You better just be laughing at the swimsuit.”

This time, her eyebrows shot to her hairline before she threw her head back and actually laughed. 

I immediately turned on my heels, determined to swim in a full wetsuit tomorrow. I even considered wearing one under all of my clothes until Annabeth used her quick reflexes to grab my hand before I could go.

“I’m not laughing at you.”

“You could have fooled me.”

She pulled me close so our chests were pressed against each other. I could feel my skin getting hot for a whole different reason. She stopped laughing, but her eyes still sparkled with merriment. 

“It’s a bad suit, but everyone looks funny in them.”

I couldn’t find it in me to be annoyed with her while she was very pressed against me and her hands stroked over my shoulders approvingly. She cupped my face and brought my head down in a slow kiss.

“It makes your butt look good though.” She said in between the kisses she layered down my jaw. I stood paralyzed like a big dumb dope, because I’m so gone for her.

“Everyone’s going to laugh at me.” Though this was becoming less of a worry or fear as she worked her way down my neck.

“Probably.” 

“You’re full of encouraging words.”

She chuckled against my skin and I swear all of the blood left my head.

“In my defense, I’m trying to stop talking.”

I quirked an eyebrow at her in disbelief. I was still adjusting to this aspect of our relationship, which was still relatively new to us. In baseball terms, our senior year of high school brought us around the bases whenever we were alone together for too long, lingering quite a bit at second and third. This summer at camp had officially taken us to home plate. It still amazed me every time that she liked me this way.

“Really? But it’s a hideous suit.”

“Yeah.” She stood on her toes and wrapped her arms around my neck. “You should take it off.”

And that was how I’d come to terms with the worst part of swimming. Everyone did laugh at me. A lot. But, I rewarded them all with a “spontaneous splash” when I dove into the water. Everyone that didn’t already know was wondering how I managed to do that with a regular dive. 

“He did that on purpose.” Grumbled Jason. 

“Why wouldn’t he? I’d be embarrassed to wear that too.” Frank said emphatically.

“It’s not that bad.” Annabeth tried.

“Oh yeah?” Leo asked. “What’s that on your neck?”

I could feel her glare from across the gym and tried my best not to laugh. 

I got over the judgment when I took first in my 500 IM. I swear I’ve never heard my mom cheer so loud in her life. Then again, I never gave her much reason to growing up since I sucked at all other sports and never exactly made scholastic decathlons. Grover accidentally bleated a few times, but the others were kind enough to try and cover it with whistles and whoops. 

“Yeah Percy!” Piper cheered as they all stood to their feet.

“Leave it to the son of the sea God to win a swimming race.” Jason smirked. 

“I think you’re just jealous that Quidditch isn’t a thing so you don’t get an advantage.” Teased Nico.

“Quidditch actually is a thing.” Annabeth said. “You just don’t fly.”

Hazel struggled to see. “Frank, I told you not to sit in front of me!”

“Sorry…” He said awkwardly.

“Does he get a medal?” Leo asked.

“Do you think he’ll let me eat the medal?” Grover tried.

“No way!” Sally nudged him. “I’m hanging that up in my house forever.”

I grinned as I reached over the lanes to shake hands with the other swimmers beside me. I ripped off my cap and shook my shaggy black hair. I was getting used to actually being wet unlike when I went swimming at camp or on adventures.

I slipped on a pair of trunks over my speedo like most of the other guys do (except some who are strangely proud) before making my way over to the stands. Grover clapped my back and Annabeth leaned over the rails to kiss me before complaining that I tasted like chlorine. My mom ruffled my hair while Paul winked at me in pride.

My teammates were excited too and lifted me on their shoulders since we won the meet. They dumped me in the water, of course, but that was hardly a punishment.

I loved college.

[itsmomorin]

Believe

Believe

- Sana Focus

Word Count: 1674

*AU

“Ouch, that one’s gotta hurt!” Sana yelled into the microphone, making a wincing expression.

Quidditch. The only sport that wizards and witches play, the only sport that’s suitable for them. The thrill of riding on a broomstick might not sound exciting at first, but when you’re flying around, zooming past goal posts, and whizzing so fast that you can feel the wind splitting into two when it hits you, then quidditch becomes truly fun. The rules were simple enough, two teams competed against each other and tried to score points on each other by throwing a ball into goal posts. On each team, there was one individual who had a different objective, they were the seekers. Their goal the entire match was to find and capture the elusive, golden, snitch. A speedy little devil that was as small as a ping pong ball. If one seeker secures the golden snitch, their team is given one hundred and fifty points, usually enough to win the match. Thus, seekers must be the fastest and smartest player on the team. And without a doubt, you were the absolute best on your team, so, you were given the position of seeker. The most important match was underway today, the match for the Inter House Quidditch Cup. Once again, the rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin came to an all time high. Everything depended on this final match.

“Gryffindor is falling behind, with five minutes left on the clock, will they be able to hold on and reverse the tide? The Slytherin chasers are working in complete synchronization, scoring at an incredible rate while the Gryffindor chasers are busy trying to escape from the deadly bludgers!” Sana shouted into the microphone with great enthusiasm.

You were high up in the air, observing the entire arena, keeping your eyes peeled for the golden snitch. Not too far away from you was Slytherin’s seeker, he was trying hard to find the golden snitch as well.

“Hey, (Y/N)! Your team’s not doing so well, are they? Looks like Gryffindor is all washed up now. We’re beating you by so many points, there’s no way you’ll ever catch up in five minutes.” The Slytherin seeker sneered, glaring at you.

You ignored him, focusing all your attention on the field, because you knew that capturing the golden snitch would be the only way for your team to even have a chance of winning the game.

“Don’t stay there! (Y/N)! Watch out!” Your teammate yelled from across the field.

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw a Slytherin beater hit one of the bludgers in your direction. Without even looking at the ball, you spun upside down on your broomstick, easily dodging the bludger with no effort at all.

“Fancy moves from Gryffindor’s seeker, (Y/N)! He’s carefully assessing the match from high above, looking for the golden snitch that holds the key to victory for his team!” Sana screamed excitedly, keeping her eyes on you.

“With only four minutes left, can he find the snitch and be able to capture it?” The other commentator asked loudly.

“Of course he can! He can definitely find it and bring his team victory!” Sana responded, not noticing that she wasn’t actually supposed to.

“You think so, Sana? Seems like you have a lot of faith in him.”

“I do. I do. Come on, (Y/N)! I’m cheering for you!” Sana shouted once again.

“Hey Sana, we’re supposed to be neutral, remember? Don’t get too attached!” The other commentator whispered, away from the mic.

“Oh right, right. Sorry, I got too excited.”

“You’re crushing so hard on him, you’re so obvious, Sana.”

“I don’t care. I’ve… always had my eyes on him.”

“Okay, okay, back to commentating, remember, no bias okay?”

“I’ll try my best.”

With only three minutes left, you finally caught a glimpse of the snitch, it was zooming in a circle, around the entire arena, so low it could touch and crash into the ground. You wasted no time, getting to the same altitude and began to chase the snitch while dodging players and bludgers at the same time. The Slytherin seeker was right behind you, only inches from your position. The snitch noticed that it was being chased by the seekers and began to speed up even faster. Your broomstick was no match for its unrivaled speed, after all, that would make catching the snitch a breeze. No, you had to be smart. You pointed your broomstick upwards and began to fly way up high once again.

“What? Giving up already? Weak!” The Slytherin seeker taunted before he returned to the chase.

You analyzed the snitch’s path and you could tell where it was heading. Right before you set out to carry out your plan, you turned to look towards the crowd that were cheering loudly for your team. Among those people, you noticed Sana, mouthing the words, “You’ve got this! I believe in you!”. You smiled for a quick second before you aimed your broomstick straight down, towards the ground.

“What is (Y/N) thinking? He’s pointing his broomstick vertically towards the ground, and what’s even stranger is that he’s speeding towards the ground as if he wants to crash! Has he given up? Is this match over?” Sana’s friend yelled into the mic.

“No. He’s winning this thing, right now. Go, (Y/N)!” Sana cheered on.

You knew that your broomstick couldn’t match the speed of the snitch, but with the aid of gravity you could match and even beat the speed of the snitch for a few seconds if you pulled up correctly.

“One minute left!”

You pulled up hard, pushing your broomstick to its limits, feeling the broomstick cracking and breaking from the sheer force and speed. The Slytherin seeker noticed what you were trying to do, and instead of chasing the snitch, he turned around and tried to ram you. After all, he didn’t need to catch the snitch, he just had to make sure that you didn’t get the snitch. He sped up, with his eyes trained on his own personal prize. You. The snitch was beyond him, you had to get past him in order to get to the snitch.

“You want the snitch? You have to get through me!” The Slytherin seeker cried out.

“It looks like the Slytherin seeker is trying to crash into the Gryffindor seeker! As long as Gryffindor doesn’t secure the snitch, this game will be won by Slytherin!”

“Please be safe, (Y/N)...” Sana muttered to herself, biting her lip discreetly.

You knew exactly how to get past him and catch the snitch at the same time. Instead of trying to dodge the Slytherin seeker, you sped up faster and faster towards him. You pulled your body close to your broomstick and in the last possible moment, you revolved yourself on your broomstick, spinning yourself to the underside of the broomstick. The Slytherin seeker failed to react and spun out, and ended up skidding against the walls. There was only one thing left to do, catch the golden snitch.

“Twenty seconds!”

By now, your speed was waning, and the best you could do was get yourself within a meter of the snitch, it was still zooming forwards vigorously while your broomstick seemed to be slowing down gradually.

It’s now or never.

You flipped back upright, and launched yourself off of the front of your broomstick and jumped as far as you could, with one open hand reaching out to catch the snitch.

“Gryffindor’s seeker has abandoned his broomstick! He’s making a jump for it! But will it be enough?”

You felt the smoothness of the golden snitch on your pointer finger for a brief moment before it seemed to get away from your grasp.

“He touched it! But the snitch is slipping away from his reach!”

Then, you felt it, the invisible wings of the golden snitch. You managed to get a grip on one of its wings and the snitch spun around and landed right into your hand. Got it! Now all I have to do is… land. The buzzer rang loud and clear, notifying everyone that the match was officially over. You ended up crashing into the dirt, and then rolled a few meters before you finally stopped.

“Does he have the golden snitch in his hand?”

Sana already rushed down from the stands and was on her way to you. She was the first person to reach you, even before your teammates, she obviously had began to make her way down here before the timer ended.

“Are you okay? (Y/N)? Open your eyes!” Sana screamed loudly while she moved your head onto her lap.

“You believed in me.” You said, still breathing hard from your fall.

“Of course I did.” Sana replied, caressing your cheek.

You smiled at her, and took one of her hands.

“Here, open your hand.” You said weakly.

“Huh?”

“Your reward.”

You placed the golden snitch into Sana’s soft hand. You noticed that she wasn’t shocked at all when you did so. There’s no way that everyone could see me catch it, it was way too close to the ground. But Sana… she didn’t see it either, she just believed hard enough.

“Pst, Sana.” You whispered, breaking her out of her trance.

“Yes?”

“Shouldn’t you be announcing something right now?”

“Oh right! Gryffindor has captured the snitch, which means that they now have ten more points than Slytherin! Gryffindor wins the Inter House Quidditch Cup!” Sana yelled into the sky at the top of her lungs.

Your teammates finally made their way to you, and they all grinned at the sight of you lying on Sana’s lap.

“Well, seems like someone is already celebrating?” One of your teammates joked.

“I can’t believe that jump actually worked… who would have believed it?” Another of your teammates commented.

“Hey! I believed-” Sana began.

“Oh, as long as one person believed it hard enough, it definitely would’ve worked.” You answered, winking at Sana.

- itsmomorin

[sinfully-romione]

Lucky Man

Rated: T

Category: Pride

Summary: Despite some 6th-year comments to the contrary, Hermione has never fully understood the appeal of quidditch. Luckily, it’s not the only thing Ron is passionate about.

Hermione gave herself a quick glance in the luxurious ladies’ room mirror, wincing as she tried to tuck a stubborn curl back into the twist into which she had fashioned her unruly mane only a few hours ago. It popped back out, of course, but it didn’t seem worth the effort to try to magic it back in place. In this crowd, it was unlikely anyone would give her more than a passing glance anyway, flyaway hair or no.

Truthfully, she was beyond happy that Ginny had achieved her dreams of playing quidditch professionally with the Holyhead Harpies (a team Hermione supported in principle before they ever signed Ginny, purely based on their commitment to advancing female players). And of course it was awfully nice of her to give her extra End of the Season Gala tickets to she and Ron, knowing that Ron would be thrilled to hobnob with the other players in attendance.

Hermione made sure she had picked up her evening bag off the velvet settee before exiting the very posh and well-appointed powder room. What she hadn’t realized at the time was exactly how glamorous the event would be and how desperately out-of-place it would make her feel.

She tugged the strap of her dress self-consciously as she made her way down the corridor, trying to remember the path back to the function room where the gala was being held. She had bought it specifically for the event and it was fancier than anything she had ever owned, but the second they had walked into the room, Hermione had felt underdressed. In a world that didn’t really have picture or television stars, quidditch players and their wives were truly the magical community’s celebrity elite and they certainly looked the part. She had tried not to gawk as they searched for Harry and Ginny in a sea of athletic, impossibly gorgeous men and women in the most fashionably cut, expensive robes she had ever seen.

Hermione could easily hold her own in a room full of high-powered politicians and government officials, but this was an entirely different kettle of fish. Sure, she had always enjoyed watching the Gryffindor matches and it was easy to get swept up in the excitement of seeing the World Cup for the first time, but she had to admit, she reflected as she decided that she needed to take a left at the fountain, when it came to quidditch, she never really “got it”. Ron, Harry and Ginny could go on for hours about it, but really, what did it matter which team won in the grand scheme of things? Was there any societal benefit to spending so much money to have adults play what was essentially a children’s game on a grand scale?

And Merlin’s beard, why was the ladies’ so unaccountably far from the ballroom?

The strap of her heels dug uncomfortably into her little toe as she rounded a corner and finally recognized the door she was looking for. A blast of music and conversation assailed her as she pushed through the door and glanced around for her party. When they had first found Harry and Ginny they were being introduced to a clutch of players from the Kenmare Kestrels and had immediately been swept into their conversation about last year’s semi-final match. Hermione had followed the discussion with polite interest, uncomfortably aware of how little she had to contribute. She smiled affectionately to herself as Ron’s eyes practically bugged out of his head when the team’s keeper asked for his opinion on a controversial call and admired how attractive he looked tonight in a handsome set of navy dress robes, his clear blue eyes sparkling in excitement. They had been on the far side of the room, near to the terrace doors, when she excused herself to the restroom, so she made her way in that direction, self-consciously smoothing down the skirts of her dress and wishing she had something to do with her hands.

She knew, from hearing about Ginny’s experiences, that the players laughing and celebrating around her represented the best of the best in England, and that the competition to play at the professional level was fierce. Unconsciously, her thoughts drifted back to a time when a classmate had remarked that she must like quidditch players and the echo of her own answer, fueled by spite and a broken heart, reverberated in her brain, “I like really good quidditch players.” Gods, how embarrassing! Although, to be fair, it was basically true - Ron was a really good player, though she wouldn’t have admitted it at the time. But the idea that it was quidditch prowess that turned her head was fairly laughable. Thank goodness, she thought as the crowds in front of her parted and she caught a glimpse of bright ginger hair, that they had gotten over all that uncertainty and jealousy.

She stopped short at the sight of a drop-dead gorgeous woman standing entirely, unnecessarily too close to her boyfriend.

Well. Almost gotten over.

The woman’s silvery dress looked as if is was made of liquid mercury, sliding and swirling along her enviable curves. Her blonde hair rippled down her shoulders in perfectly tamed waves and she was so tall that Ron only needed to incline his head slightly to listen to her in the boisterous room. Hermione couldn’t see his face clearly, but she felt her heart in her throat as she watched the women place a slender manicured hand on Ron’s arm and lean into him.

At that moment Ron stepped back and looked up, catching sight of her approach. She saw his expression change from unease to one of relief and something she couldn’t quite place, his eyes wide and his mouth gaping every so slightly. She gave him a small smile as she crossed the last few meters to his side, realizing with surprise that he was rather gawking at her.

“There you are,” he breathed, as he slipped an arm around her waist. “This is Helen, the publicist for the Magpies,” he said in a louder voice, gesturing to the statuesque blonde. “Helen, this is my girlfriend, Hermione Granger.”

Hermione held out her hand, somewhat buoyed by the confidence in Ron’s voice. Helen took it with only a slight raise of her perfect eyebrows. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“‘Scuse us,” Ron interjected apologetically, steering Hermione away from Helen and toward the dance floor. He stopped once he had weaved them deep into the swirling mass of dancers and looked down at her uncertainly.

“You don’t mind, do you?”

Hermione smiled warmly. “Of course not,” she answered, thinking in amusement that it ranked a bit higher than “come and dance” on the list of romantic invitations.

“Good, I needed to get away,” he admitted, pulling her into his arms. “She was a little bit scary. Not that I didn’t want to dance with you anyway,” he hurriedly added, searching her face for offense.

Hermione thought about winding him up with a show of indignation, but ending up laughing instead. “I understand,”” she replied. “Are you enjoying yourself, though?”

“Yeah, of course! It’s wicked, meeting all these players. I can’t believe some of them knew who I was,” he said in disbelief. “What about you, are you having fun?” he added anxiously.

“Yes, it’s lovely,” she said quietly, resting her head on his chest. She closed her eyes and let Ron’s heartbeat guide the rhythm of her movements, trying to let go of any thoughts and feelings other than the happiness and rightness of being in his embrace.

“I didn’t get to tell you before, but you look really beautiful tonight,” he murmured as they swayed.

She couldn’t help the small snort that escaped her. Ron pulled back, looking down at her with furrowed brows. “What?”

“It’s awfully nice of you to say, Ron,” she said, “but look around. The women here might as well be Veelas! They all look like Helen! I’m not saying it matters, but I stick out like a sore thumb.”

Ron stopped moving abruptly. Hermione glanced around in embarrassment to see if anyone had noticed they were standing stock still in the middle of the dance floor, but no one seemed to pay any attention to them. She looked back to Ron to see him frowning at her.

“That’s absolute rubbish, Hermione! As far as I’m concerned, I’m easily the luckiest bloke in this room.” He ducked his head to try to catch her eye, even as his ears reddened with the openness of his words. “D’you have any idea how bloody proud I am to walk into these types of things next to you? To get to introduce you as my girlfriend?”

Hermione’s instinct was to scoff, but the sincerity in his eyes overwhelmed her. She swallowed, feeling as though she couldn’t speak around the lump in her throat. Bugger quidditch, this was what drew her to Ron. He had such a big heart, and he wore it on his sleeve - and while she knew things sometimes got garbled on the way to his mouth, when he believed something strongly, she could trust in every word.

“And you look… well, you look amazing tonight,” Ron went on, beginning to move to the music once more. “I’ve gotten to talk to four- four! - of the Cannon’s top players since we’ve been here, but every time I see you, all I can think about is dragging you home to our bed.”

She shivered as a thrill raced through her, suddenly feeling even more aware of all the places her body was touching his. “Really?”

He groaned as he stroked the bare skin of her back. “Really.” He looked around surreptitiously. Although they were surrounded by people, it was like the crowd gave them a sort of privacy and anonymity that felt exciting and risky. He pressed her to him tightly, letting her feel his reaction to her touch. “ If I’m bloody honest, I don’t think I can wait long enough to get you back to the flat. D’you think a posh muggle hotel like this has a conveniently out-of-the-way broom closet?” he joked.

Hermione gave him a secret smile, her mind retracing her earlier steps in a flash.

“Actually, I know just the place.”

[kassebaum]

SanversWeek Day 4- Hogwarts AU

This is for my wonderful HP anon. You are a joy and I have thoroughly enjoyed inserting these characters into the HP universe. This piece slots in with the rest of the pieces I’ve written which can be found under the ‘hogwarts au’ tag on my blog.

The Great Hall was a buzz with excitement; the Quidditch Cup match between Gryffindor and Slytherin was taking place later. Cheers rang out every time a member of one of the teams walked in for breakfast, a mixture of exhilaration and nausea written on their faces.

The Slytherin table erupted into a cacophony of noise when their fearless Beater, Alex Danvers walked in. She looked every part the confident Team Captain as she walked to sit with the rest of her team, her fellow Slytherins patting her on the back and wishing her luck as she passed.

Not to be outdone, the Gryffindor table hollerred as loud as they could when star Chaser, Maggie Sawyer entered the Great Hall. No one but Lena seemed to notice Maggie straightening up her robes.

‘Morning pep talk before the big match Danvers?’ Lena drawled as Alex sat down next to her.

‘Oh shush’ Alex shot back, but the colour creeping up her cheeks gave her away.

‘At least tell me you managed to find all of your underwear this time, not that I didn’t appreciate finding your knickers on my pillow...’

‘One time!’

Lena smirked and handed Alex a goblet of pumpkin juice.

‘Oh like you never tease me about the time I was congratulating Kara in the showers after her first Quidditch match-’

‘Nope!’ Alex interrupted, holding up a finger, ‘no more about what you and my baby sister get up to.’

‘Oh, is because I’m a Luthor?’ Lena pouted teasingly.

Alex chuckled, so proud that Lena could now joke about her last name, even if she couldn’t forget the atrocities Lex was committing in Voldemort’s name.

‘No it’s because you’ve been a pain in my arse for the last seven years, but for some reason my sister finds your infuriating wit and sarcasm adorable.’

Lena just raised an eyebrow and slid some toast towards Alex.

‘You need to eat. Your final Quidditch cup at Hogwarts? I know how much you want to win...’

Alex nodded and took a nibble of the toast.

‘That’s if you can keep your eyes off Maggie long enough...’

‘Pffft’

‘Strong come back there...’

‘Danvers!’

Alex turned to see her girlfriend waving at her from across the Great Hall. Maggie inclined her head towards the door, indicating that they needed to head down to the pitch.

Alex swiped her half eaten piece of toast and stood up.

‘Good luck’ Lena smiled.

Alex winked and walked towards Maggie, leaning down to kiss her much to the enjoyment of the surrounding students.

They barely made it to the bottom of the staircase before Maggie pulled Alex into a semi private nook to deepen the kiss that had started in the Great Hall.

‘For luck’ Maggie murmured, her hands roaming gently under Alex’s robes.

‘I don’t need luck’ Alex gasped as Maggie’s fingertips ghosted the ticklish spot on her hip, ‘you’re going down...’

‘Oh no, when Gryffindor wins, you’ll definitely be the one going down tonight’ Maggie teased, unable to resist.

The sound of a throat clearing made the two girls jump abruptly apart.

‘Miss Danvers, Miss Sawyer...’ Snape drawled, ‘shouldn’t you be down at the pitch by now?’

‘Sorry Professor’ both girls murmured as Alex tucked her shirt back in and started heading in the direction of the Quidditch stands.

‘Oh and Miss Danvers?’ Snape intoned, ‘try not to let your girlfriend distract you too much. I want the trophy back in my room this year...’

‘Yes Professor’ Alex blushed as Maggie took her hand.

They walked hand in hand in a comfortable silence along the path content to drink in the final peaceful moment before the match.

‘Why does everyone think I’m going to go easy on you?’ Alex finally broke the silence.

‘When was the last time you sent a bludger towards me with the intention of actually knocking me off my broom instead of just making me veer off course?’

Alex didn’t reply, but pursed her lips.

‘Exactly! You just don’t want to admit that badass Alex Danvers has a soft spot-’

Maggie was cut off by Alex placing her lips against hers.

They finally made it to the changing rooms and split to join their respective teams, the nervous excitement building. Five minutes before the match was due to start, they filtered out onto the pitch to thunderous applause.

Madame Hooch reminded them to play a fair, clean game and blew sharply on her whistle. Simultaneously, all fourteen students kicked off of the ground, racing into the air.

Maggie was first to grab the Quaffle, zig zagging effortlessly around the Slytherin Chasers. She zoomed towards the end of the pitch and made her first goal within moments of the match starting.

The Gryffindor spectators were delighted, screaming and stomping their feet in the stands.

Kara sat in the stands wearing a garish clashing mixture of her usual Hufflepuff robes, Slytherin scarf she had borrowed from Lena and the Gryffindor colours painted on her cheeks.

‘No red and gold?’ Kara questioned upon seeing Lena in just her usual green and silver robes.

‘House pride!’ Lena chuckled, ‘plus, you’re decked out enough for the both of us...’

Lena cheered at the Slytherin Keeper stopping another goal, but found herself giving a smaller cheer when in the next moment, Maggie was able to get the Quaffle past him.

It was a close match; 80-70 to Gryffindor and still no sign of the snitch. Over the next ten minutes, Maggie lived up to her reputation as the fastest Chaser in Gryffindor history, scoring three more goals.

Alex zoomed past the three Slytherin Chasers and yelled out a few choice words; there was no way they were losing the match, not in her final year.

She saw Maggie making another break towards the hoops with the Quaffle securely tucked under her arm. Alex swung her bat and sent the bludger towards Maggie with all the strength she could muster.

Maggie saw the bludger careering towards her and had to roll upside down on her broom to stop herself from being knocked off. She dropped the Quaffle and it was picked up by Flint who managed to score for Slytherin.

110-80 to Gryffindor.

‘Is that how we’re playing today Danvers?’ Maggie yelled as she passed by Alex.

‘Everyone was accusing me of going soft on you!’

Maggie winked and zoomed off to take a pass from Katie Bell to score again.

120-80 to Gryffindor.

The whistle was blown for half time and the players crashed back into the changing rooms to re-cooperate.

Two pep talks later; a slightly intimidating one given by Alex and a much more relaxed one from the Gryffindor Team Captain, both teams were back up in the air, determined to bring home the trophy.

In an incredibly fast paced fifteen minutes that Winn has trouble keeping track of from his commentary box, points are scored, bludgers fly and in one heart stopping moment, the Gryffindor Seeker nose dives towards the ground. With the help of Professor J’onzz, the score is tallied to 180-180.

The crowd gasps as both Seekers take off in the same direction; the Golden Snitch in their sight. This time it’s not a false alarm.

Alex felt as though time was slowing down as she watched Malfoy jostle against Potter to get ahead. Malfoy stretched his arm out, his finger grazing the wings of the Snitch, before he manages to grasp it in his hand.

‘SLYTHERIN WIN!’ Winn boomed from the commentary box.

Alex punched the air in celebration and looped in the air on her broom; she had done it. Head Girl, Captain of the winning Quidditch team and a straight ‘Outstanding’ student. She zoomed towards the ground pulling off the nose dive that had got her onto the team as a first year and landed back on the ground to her team celebrating.

Maggie was in her arms immediately, kissing her soundly, sending the crowd into a frenzy. Alex picked Maggie up and Maggie wrapped her legs around Alex’s hips, her fingers tangled in Alex’s hair.

‘You did it Danvers!’ Maggie breathed out between kisses.

‘You’re not mad?’

‘We played a good match, but the better team won’ Maggie conceded, ‘plus my girlfriend happens to be the hottest Quidditch player in Hogwarts history...’

They lose themselves in each other eyes and lips as the noise of the crowd fades to nothing behind them.  

They lose themselves entwined in each others arms, not caring who sees, not giving a thought to the  impending war that was brewing, or the choices they will have to make.

The lose themselves in thoughts of their future; that they may only been seventeen and eighteen years old, but damn it, this relationship was built to go the distance, they were built to stumble through life together, built to support each other, built to love each other.

So they do.

[jesjournal90]

With love and disappointment, how I see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child like a fan fiction (Spoil Alert!)

Based on J.K. Rowling’s original stories, the cursed child is just a fan fiction legalized to be on stage. I was eager and excited to finish the book as fast as possible so I could get through what’s going on after 19 years later. The more the letters scanned through my eyes, the more disappointment, I do not hate it but I am disappointed. I dare not criticize the language when my use of English grammar is still moderately acceptable. But my favorite writer has the style that is hardly imitated. The ways she narrates and produces humor are unique, clearly expressed, and sometimes funny. In Fantastic Beast and Where to Find them, even it is a screenplay; the readers are able to recognize her style and her spell. But I honestly found less in the Cursed Child. Well, as it has been written by Jack Thorne not J.K. It might sound reasonable why it is different from the original series.

I’m glad that J.K. herself made the statement that the Cursed Child is not the eighth book. Because during my reading this, I felt like Harry, Ron, and Hermione are out of their characters, except Draco Malfoy whom I agree with his change as I can guess what he had to face after the fall of Voldemort. There are excuses for this, yes, because they grow up and become parents. Everything could not exactly “all went well” when they have kids (and a kid like Albus Severus Potter). To remain their characteristics seem to require a lot of effort which does not fully success but not that fail. For example, Hermione kept the time-turner in a book with quests that 14-year-old students could pass it, and she is Hermione, come on! She’s Ms. Perfect. Harry could not beat Delphi alone. I mean he is Head of Law Enforcement Department and a part-time teacher of Defense of the Dark Art. Oh, he was an Auror and very proficient in spells to defense the dark magic. How couldn’t he defeat a girl who practices some dark arts? I know Harry always has friends to support and back him up but please be reasonable, this is not power rangers. Moreover, Voldemort has a child with Bellatrix. I mean, “what?” As Tom Riddle, Voldemort used his handsome face and charming gesture to get what he desired for but he had no love and has never interested in any sensual feelings. The book does imply that Bellatrix has the feeling for him (like Harley feels for Joker but Voldemort is no Joker) but she had her husband at that time (Rodolphus Lestrange). Does someone who worships her pure-blood, honor, and Voldemort (and his cruel leadership) would do something like adultery? (Killing mud-bloods and traitors is another thing). For Voldemort, I could not see how he fancied anyone but power and immortality. And Cedric who becomes a death eater because of being humiliated during the Triwizard Tournament (Albus and Scorpius use the time turner intending to revive him). As I perceived from J.K.’s narration, he was very brave, fair and honest. Even he beat Harry during Quidditch, he asked to rematch when realized that Harry fell from the bloom due to dementors, and asked Harry to win the cup because Harry saved him from the task. Just being humiliated would not let Cedric turn into the dark side, this is not his character.

The most unforgivable part is the time-turner. This builds a large loophole in the story. To avoid more loopholes in the series, J.K. has destroyed it in the fifth book (the Order of Phoenix). For the Cursed Child, the characters use it like forgetting the rules. The effect of twisting the reality causing the world change but Albus and Scorpius could fix it easily. Comparing to the Prisoner of Azkaban, the time-turner is a tool for convenience but not for everything. We can see that how 3-hours future Hermione and Harry did in the past already happened in the past, like a cycle or a loop. On the other hand, Albus and Scorpius could change the time and made great impacts from it but the way they changed the reality is nearly close to the Sims player’s easily reset their game. I think if they forget about the time-tuner and change the plot that Albus and Scorpius have experienced the alternative universes where Voldemort won (like Marvels love to do), does it sound more logical?

Well, it is not all bad. An HP fan like me is very loyal to everything relates to Harry Potter. There are many scenes that I enjoyed, for example, the relationship parts (between Albus and Scorpius, and Scorpius and Rose that may fulfill those who ship Draco and Hermione), Snape scene (in the alternative world where Voldemort rules and that bitch Umbridge being the headmistress), and Albus’ struggle in the school because he is the son of the famous Harry Potter (his temper is similar to Harry in the fifth book).

Anyway, the loopholes are the big mistake that I cannot pretend not to look away. Honestly, I still wait for the next stories even it is going to turn bad or good, I think we are ready to take the risk because, for a big fan, I don’t want anything else but to learn more about this magical world. And for the Cursed Child, think about it as a snack during a break, not nourishing but moderately well-fed.

[readbookywooks]

The Patronus

Harry knew that Hermione had meant well, but that didn't stop him from being angry with her. He had been the owner of the best broom in the world for a few short hours, and now, because of her interference, he didn't know whether he would ever see it again. He was positive that there was nothing wrong with the Firebolt now, but what sort of state would it be in once it had been subjected to all sorts of anti-jinx tests? Ron was furious with Hermione too. As far as he was concerned, the stripping-down of a brand-new Firebolt was nothing less than criminal damage. Hermione, who remained convinced that she had acted for the best, started avoiding the common room. Harry and Ron supposed she had taken refuge in the library and didn't try to persuade her to come back. All in all, they were glad when the rest of the school returned shortly after New Year, and Gryffindor Tower became crowded and noisy again. Wood sought Harry out on the night before term started. "Had a good Christmas?" he said, and then, without waiting for an answer, he sat down, lowered his voice, and said, "I've been, doing some thinking over Christmas, Harry. After last match, you know. If the Dementors come to the next one...I mean...we can't afford you to -- well --" Wood broke off, looking awkward. "I'm working on it," said Harry quickly. "Professor Lupin said he'd train me to ward off the Dementors. We should be starting this week. He said he'd have time after Christmas." "Ah," said Wood, his expression clearing. "Well, in that case -- I really didn't want to lose you as Seeker, Harry. And have you ordered a new broom yet?" "No," said Harry. "What! You'd better get a move on, you know -- you can't ride that Shooting Star against Ravenclaw!" "He got a Firebolt for Christmas," said Ron. "A Firebolt? No! Seriously? A -- a real Firebolt?" "Don't get excited, Oliver," said Harry gloomily. "I haven't got it anymore. It was confiscated." And he explained all about how the Firebolt was now being checked for jinxes. "Jinxed? How could it be jinxed?" "Sirius Black," Harry said wearily. "He's supposed to be after me. So McGonagall reckons he might have sent it." Waving aside the information that a famous murderer was after his Seeker, Wood said, "But Black couldn't have bought a Firebolt! He's on the run! The whole country's on the lookout for him! How could he just walk into Quality Quidditch Supplies and buy a broomstick?" "I know," said Harry, "but McGonagall still wants to strip it down --" Wood went pale. "I'll go and talk to her, Harry," he promised. "I'll make her see reason...A Firebolt...a real Firebolt, on our team ...She wants Gryffindor to win as much as we do...I'll make her see sense. A Firebolt...." Classes started again the next day. The last thing anyone felt like doing was spending two hours on the grounds on a raw January morning, but Hagrid had provided a bonfire full of salamanders for their enjoyment, and they spent an unusually good lesson collecting dry wood and leaves to keep the fire blazing while the flame-loving lizards scampered up and down the crumbling, white-hot logs. The first Divination lesson of the new term was much less fun; Professor Trelawney was now teaching them palmistry, and she lost no time in informing Harry that he had the shortest life line she had ever seen. It was Defense Against the Dark Arts that Harry was keen to get to; after his conversation with Wood, he wanted to get started on his anti-Dementor lessons as soon as possible. "Ah yes," said Lupin, when Harry reminded him of his promise at the end of class. "Let me see...how about eight o'clock on Thursday evening? The History of Magic classroom should be large enough...I'll have to think carefully about how we're going to do this...We can't bring a real Dementor into the castle to practice on...." "Still looks ill, doesn't he?" said Ron as they walked down the corridor, heading to dinner. "What d'you reckon's the matter with him?" There was a loud and impatient "tuh" from behind them. It was Hermione, who had been sitting at the feet of a suit of armor, repacking her bag, which was so full of books it wouldn't close. "And what are you tutting at us for?" said Ron irritably. "Nothing," said Hermione in a lofty voice, heaving her bag back over her shoulder. "Yes, you were," said Ron. "I said I wonder what's wrong with Lupin, and you --" "Well, isn't it obvious?" said Hermione, with a look of maddening superiority. "If you don't want to tell us, don't," snapped Ron. "Fine," said Hermione haughtily, and she marched off. "She doesn't know," said Ron, staring resentfully after Hermione. "She's just trying to get us to talk to her again." At eight o'clock on Thursday evening, Harry left Gryffindor Tower for the History of Magic classroom. It was dark and empty when he arrived, but he lit the lamps with his wand and had waited only five minutes when Professor Lupin turned up, carrying a large packing case, which he heaved onto Professor Binn's desk. "What's that?" said Harry. "Another Boggart," said Lupin, stripping off his cloak. "I've been combing the castle ever since Tuesday, and very luckily, I found this one lurking inside Mr. Filch's filing cabinet. It's the nearest we'll get to a real Dementor. The Boggart will turn into a Dementor when he sees you, so we'll be able to practice on him. I can store him in my office when we're not using him; there's a cupboard under my desk he'll like." "Okay," said Harry, trying to sound as though he wasn't apprehensive at all and merely glad that Lupin had found such a good substitute for a real Dementor. "So..." Professor Lupin had taken out his own wand, and indicated that Harry should do the same. "The spell I am going to try and teach you is highly advanced magic, Harry -- well beyond Ordinary Wizarding Level. It is called the Patronus Charm." "How does it work?" said Harry nervously. "Well, when it works correctly, It conjures up a Patronus," said Lupin, "which is a kind of anti-Dementor -- a guardian that acts as a shield between you and the Dementor." Harry had a sudden vision of himself crouching behind a Hagrid-sized figure holding a large club. Professor Lupin continued, "The Patronus is a kind of positive force, a projection of the very things that the Dementor feeds upon -- hope, happiness, the desire to survive -- but it cannot feel despair, as real humans can, so the Dementors can't hurt it. But I must warn you, Harry, that the charm might be too advanced for you. Many qualified wizards have difficulty with it." "What does a Patronus look like?" said Harry curiously. "Each one is unique to the wizard who conjures it." "And how do you conjure it?" "With an incantation, which will work only if you are concentrating, with all your might, on a single, very happy memory." Harry cast his mind about for a happy memory. Certainly, nothing that had happened to him at the Dursleys' was going to do. Finally, he settled on the moment when he had first ridden a broomstick. "Right," he said, trying to recall as exactly as possible the wonderful, soaring sensation of his stomach. "The incantation is this --" Lupin cleared his throat. "Expecto patronum!" "Expecto patronum," Harry repeated under his breath, "expecto patronum." "Concentrating hard on your happy memory?" "Oh -- yeah --" said Harry, quickly forcing his thoughts back to that first broom ride. "Expecto patrono -- no, patronum -- sorry -- expecto patronum, expecto patronum" Something whooshed suddenly out of the end of his wand; it looked like a wisp of silvery gas. "Did you see that?" said Harry excitedly. "Something happened!" "Very good," said Lupin, smiling. "Right, then -- ready to try it on a Dementor?" "Yes," Harry said, gripping his wand very tightly, and moving into the middle of the deserted classroom. He tried to keep his mind on flying, but something else kept intruding...Any second now, he might hear his mother again...but he shouldn't think that, or he would hear her again, and he didn't want to...or did he? Lupin grasped the lid of the packing case and pulled. A Dementor rose slowly from the box, its hooded face turned toward Harry, one glistening, scabbed hand gripping its cloak. The lamps around the classroom flickered and went out. The Dementor stepped from the box and started to sweep silently toward Harry, drawing a deep, rattling breath. A wave of piercing cold broke over him -- "Expecto patronum!" Harry yelled. "Expecto patronum! Expecto --" But the classroom and the Dementor were dissolving...Harry was falling again through thick white fog, and his mother's voice was louder than ever, echoing inside his head -- "Not Harry! Not Harry! Please -- I'll do anything --" "Stand aside -- stand aside, girl --" "Harry!" Harry jerked back to life. He was lying flat on his back on the floor. The classroom lamps were alight again. He didn't have to ask what had happened. "Sorry," he muttered, sitting up and feeling cold sweat trickling down behind his glasses. "Are you all right?" said Lupin. "Yes..." Harry pulled himself up on one of the desks and leaned against it. "Here --" Lupin handed him a Chocolate Frog. "Eat this before we try again. I didn't expect you to do it your first time; in fact, I would have been astounded if you had." "It's getting worse," Harry muttered, biting off the Frog's head. "I could hear her louder that time -- and him -- Voldemort --" Lupin looked paler than usual. "Harry, if you don't want to continue, I will more than understand --" "I do!" said Harry fiercely, stuffing the rest of the Chocolate Frog into his mouth. "I've got to! What if the Dementors turn up at our match against Ravenclaw? I can't afford to fall off again. If we lose this game we've lost the Quidditch Cup!" "All right then..." said Lupin. "You might want to select another memory, a happy memory, I mean, to concentrate on...That one doesn't seem to have been strong enough..." Harry thought hard and decided his feelings when Gryffindor had won the House Championship last year had definitely qualified as very happy. He gripped his wand tightly again and took up his position in the middle of the classroom. "Ready?" said Lupin, gripping the box lid. "Ready," said Harry; trying hard to fill his head with happy thoughts about Gryffindor winning, and not dark thoughts about what was going to happen when the box opened. "Go!" said Lupin, pulling off the lid. The room went icily cold and dark once more. The Dementor glided forward, drawing its breath; one rotting hand was extending toward Harry -- "Expecto patronum!" Harry yelled. "Expecto patronum! Expecto Pat --" White fog obscured his senses...big, blurred shapes were moving around him...then came a new voice, a man's voice, shouting, panicking -- "Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off --" The sounds of someone stumbling from a room -- a door bursting open -- a cackle of high- pitched laughter -- "Harry! Harry...wake up..." Lupin was tapping Harry hard on the face. This time it was a minute before Harry understood why he was lying on a dusty classroom floor. "I heard my dad," Harry mumbled. "That's the first time I've ever heard him -- he tried to take on Voldemort himself, to give my mum time to run for it..." Harry suddenly realized that there were tears on his face mingling with the sweat. He bent his face as low as possible, wiping them off on his robes, pretending to do up his shoelace, so that Lupin wouldn't see. "You heard James?" said Lupin in a strange voice. "Yeah..." Face dry, Harry looked up. "Why -- you didn't know my dad, did you?" "I -- I did, as a matter of fact," said Lupin. "We were friends at Hogwarts. Listen, Harry -- perhaps we should leave it here for tonight. This charm is ridiculously advanced...I shouldn't have suggested putting you through this..." "No!" said Harry. He got up again. "I'll have one more go! I'm not thinking of happy enough things, that's what it is...hang on..." He racked his brains. A really, really happy memory...one that he could turn into a good, strong Patronus.... The moment when he'd first found out he was a wizard, and would be leaving the Dursleys for Hogwarts! If that wasn't a happy memory, he didn't know what was...Concentrating very hard on how he had felt when he'd realized he'd be leaving Privet Drive, Harry got to his feet and faced the packing case once more. "Ready?" said Lupin, who looked as though he were doing this against his better judgment. "Concentrating hard? All right -- go!" He pulled off the lid of the case for the third time, and the Dementor rose out of it; the room fell cold and dark -- "EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Harry bellowed. "EXPECTO PATRONUM! EXPECTO PATRONUM!" The screaming inside Harry's head had started again -- except this time, it sounded as though it were coming from a badly tuned radio -- softer and louder and softer again...and he could still see the Dementor...it had halted...and then a huge, silver shadow came bursting out of the end of Harry's wand, to hover between him and the Dementor, and though Harry's legs felt like water, he was still on his feet -- though for how much longer, he wasn't sure... "Riddikulus!" roared Lupin, springing forward. There was a loud crack, and Harry's cloudy Patronus vanished along with the Dementor; he sank into a chair, feeling as exhausted as if he'd just run a mile, and felt his legs shaking. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Professor Lupin forcing the Boggart back into the packing case with his wand; it had turned into a silvery orb again. "Excellent!" Lupin said, striding over to where Harry sat. "Excellent, Harry! That was definitely a start!" "Can we have another go? Just one more go?" "Not now," said Lupin firmly. "You've had enough for one night. Here --" He handed Harry a large bar of Honeydukes' best chocolate. "Eat the lot, or Madam Pomfrey will be after my blood. Same time next week?" "Okay," said Harry. He took a bite of the chocolate and watched Lupin extinguishing the lamps that had rekindled with the disappearance of the Dementor. A thought had just occurred to him. "Professor Lupin?" he said. "If you knew my dad, you must've known Sirius Black as well." Lupin turned very quickly. "What gives you that idea?" he said sharply. "Nothing -- I mean, I just knew they were friends at Hogwarts too..." Lupin's face relaxed. "Yes, I knew him," he said shortly. "Or I thought I did. You'd better be off, Harry, it's getting late." Harry left the classroom, walking along the corridor and around a corner, then took a detour behind a suit of armor and sank down on its plinth to finish his chocolate, wishing he hadn't mentioned Black, as Lupin was obviously not keen on the subject. Then Harry's thoughts wandered back to his mother and father ... He felt drained and strangely empty, even though he was so full of chocolate. Terrible though it was to hear his parents' last moments replayed inside his head, these were the only times Harry had heard their voices since he was a very small child. But he'd never be able to produce a proper Patronus if he half wanted to hear his parents again ... "They're dead," he told himself sternly. "They're dead and listening to echoes of them won't bring them back. You'd better get a grip on yourself if you want that Quidditch Cup." He stood up, crammed the last bit of chocolate into his mouth, and headed back to Gryffindor Tower. Ravenclaw played Slytherin a week after the start of term. Slytherin won, though narrowly. According to Wood, this was good news for Gryffindor, who would take second place if they beat Ravenclaw too. He therefore increased the number of team practices to five a week. This meant that with Lupin's anti-Dementor classes, which in themselves were more draining than six Quidditch practices, Harry had just one night a week to do all his homework. Even so, he was not showing the strain nearly as much as Hermione, whose immense workload finally seemed to be getting to her. Every night, without fail, Hermione was to be seen in a corner of the common room, several tables spread with books, Arithmancy charts, rune dictionaries, diagrams of Muggles lifting heavy objects, and file upon file of extensive notes; she barely spoke to anybody and snapped when she was interrupted. "How's she doing it?" Ron muttered to Harry one evening as Harry sat finishing a nasty essay on Undetectable Poisons for Snape. Harry looked up. Hermione was barely visible behind a tottering pile of books. "Doing what?" "Getting to all her classes!" Ron said. "I heard her talking to Professor Vector, that Arithmancy witch, this morning. They were going on about yesterday's lesson, but Hermione can't've been there, because she was with us in Care of Magical Creatures! And Ernie McMillan told me she's never missed a Muggle Studies class, but half of them are at the same time as Divination, and she's never missed one of them either!" Harry didn't have time to fathom the mystery of Hermione's impossible schedule at the moment; he really needed to get on with Snape's essay. Two seconds later, however, he was interrupted again, this time by Wood. "Bad news, Harry. I've just been to see Professor McGonagall about the Firebolt. She -- er -- got a bit shirty with me. Told me I'd got my priorities wrong. Seemed to think I cared more about winning the Cup than I do about you staying alive. Just because I told her I didn't care if it threw you off, as long as you caught the Snitch first." Wood shook his head in disbelief. "Honestly, the way she was yelling at me...you'd think I'd said something terrible. Then I asked her how much longer she was going to keep it..." He screwed up his face and imitated Professor McGonagall's severe voice. "As long as necessary, Wood"...I reckon it's time you ordered a new broom, Harry. There's an order form at the back of Which Broomstick...you could get a Nimbus Two Thousand and One, like Malfoy's got." "I'm not buying anything Malfoy thinks is good," said Harry flatly. January faded imperceptibly into February, with no change in the bitterly cold weather. The match against Ravenclaw was drawing nearer and nearer, but Harry still hadn't ordered a new broom. He was now asking Professor McGonagall for news of the Firebolt after every Transfiguration lesson, Ron standing hopefully at his shoulder, Hermione rushing past with her face averted. "No, Potter, you can't have it back yet," Professor McGonagall told him the twelfth time this happened, before he'd even opened his mouth. "We've checked for most of the usual curses, but Professor Flitwick believes the broom might be carrying a Hurling Hex. I shall tell you once we've finished checking it. Now, please stop badgering me." To make matters even worse, Harry's anti-Dementor lessons were not going nearly as well as he had hoped. Several sessions on, he was able to produce an indistinct, silvery shadow every time the Boggart-Dementor approached him, but his Patronus was too feeble to drive the Dementor away. All it did was hover, like a semitransparent cloud, draining Harry of energy as he fought to keep it there. Harry felt angry with himself, guilty about his secret desire to hear his parents' voices again. "You're expecting too much of yourself," said Professor Lupin, sternly in their fourth week of practice. "For a thirteen-year-old wizard, even an indistinct Patronus is a huge achievement. You aren't passing out anymore, are you?" "I thought a Patronus would -- charge the Dementors down or something," said Harry dispiritedly. "Make them disappear --" "The true Patronus does do that," said Lupin. "But you've achieved a great deal in a very short space of time. If the Dementors put in an appearance at your next Quidditch match, You will be able to keep them at bay long enough to get back to the ground." "You said it's harder if there are loads of them," said Harry. "I have complete confidence in you," said Lupin, smiling. "Here -- you've earned a drink. Something from the Three Broomsticks. You won't have tried it before --" He pulled two bottles out of his briefcase. "Butterbeer!" said Harry, without thinking. "Yeah, I like that stuff!" Lupin raised an eyebrow. "Oh -- Ron and Hermione brought me some back from Hogsmeade," Harry lied quickly. "I see," said Lupin, though he still looked slightly suspicious. "Well -- let's drink to a Gryffindor victory against Ravenclaw! Not that I'm supposed to take sides, as a teacher..." he added hastily. They drank the butterbeer in silence, until Harry voiced something he'd been wondering for a while. "What's under a Dementor's hood?" Professor Lupin lowered his bottle thoughtfully. "Hmmm ... well, the only people who really know are in no condition to tell us. You see, the Dementor lowers its hood only to use its last and worst weapon." "What's that?" "They call it the Dementor's Kiss," said Lupin, with a slightly twisted smile. "It's what Dementors do to those they wish to destroy utterly. I suppose there must be some kind of mouth under there, because they clamp their jaws upon the mouth of the victim and -- and suck out his soul." Harry accidentally spat out a bit of butterbeer. "What -- they kill --?" "Oh no," said Lupin. "Much worse than that. You can exist without your soul, you know, as long as your brain and heart are still working. But you'll have no sense of self anymore, no memory, no...anything. There's no chance at all of recovery. You'll just exist. As an empty shell. And your soul is gone forever...lost." Lupin drank a little more butterbeer, then said, "It's the fate that awaits Sirius Black. It was in the Daily Prophet this morning. The Ministry have given the Dementors permission to perform it if they find him." Harry sat stunned for a moment at the idea of someone having their soul sucked out through their mouth. But then he thought of Black. "He deserves it," he said suddenly. "You think so?" said Lupin lightly. "Do you really think anyone deserves that?" "Yes," said Harry defiantly. "For...for some things..." He would have liked to have told Lupin about the conversation he'd overheard about Black in the Three Broomsticks, about Black betraying his mother and father, but it would have involved revealing that he'd gone to Hogsmeade without permission, and he knew Lupin wouldn't be very impressed by that. So he finished his butterbeer, thanked Lupin, and left the History of Magic classroom. Harry half wished that he hadn't asked what was under a Dementor's hood, the answer had been so horrible, and he was so lost in unpleasant thoughts of what it would feel like to have your soul sucked out of you that he walked headlong into Professor McGonagall halfway up the stairs. "Do watch where you're going, Potter!" "Sorry, Professor --" "I've just been looking for you in the Gryffindor common room, Well, here it is, we've done everything we could think of, and there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with it at all -- you've got a very good friend somewhere, Potter..." Harry's jaw dropped. She was holding out his Firebolt, and it looked as magnificent as ever. "I can have it back?" Harry said weakly. "Seriously?" "Seriously," said Professor McGonagall, and she was actually smiling. "I daresay you'll need to get the feel of it before Saturday's match, won't you? And Potter -- do try and win, won't you? Or we'll be out of the running for the eighth year in a row, as Professor Snape was kind enough to remind me only last night..." Speechless, Harry carried the Firebolt back upstairs toward Gryffindor Tower. As he turned a corner, he saw Ron dashing toward him, grinning from ear to ear. "She gave it to you? Excellent! Listen, can I still have a go on it? Tomorrow?" "Yeah...anything..." said Harry, his heart lighter than it had been in a month. "You know what -- we should make up with Hermione...She was only trying to help..." "Yeah, all right," said Ron. "She's in the common room now working -- for a change." They turned into the corridor to Gryffindor Tower and saw Neville Longbottom, pleading with Sir Cadogan, who seemed to be refusing him entrance. "I wrote them down!" Neville was saying tearfully. "But I must've dropped them somewhere!" "A likely tale!" roared Sir Cadogan. Then, spotting Harry and Ron: "Good even, my fine young yeomen! Come clap this loon in irons. He is trying to force entry to the chambers within!" "Oh, shut up," said Ron as he and Harry drew level with Neville. "I've lost the passwords!" Neville told them miserably. "I made him tell me what passwords he was going to use this week, because he keeps changing them, and now I don't know what I've done with them!" "Oddsbodkins," said Harry to Sir Cadogan, who looked extremely disappointed and reluctantly swung forward to let them into the common room. There was a sudden, excited murmur as every head turned and the next moment, Harry was surrounded by people exclaiming over his Firebolt. "Where'd you get it, Harry?" "Will you let me have a go?" "Have you ridden it yet, Harry?" "Ravenclaw'll have no chance, they're all on Cleansweep Sevens!" "Can I just hold it, Harry?" After ten minutes or so, during which the Firebolt was Passed around and admired from every angle, the crowd dispersed and Harry and Ron had a clear view of Hermione, the only person who hadn't rushed over to them, bent over her work and carefully avoiding their eyes. Harry and Ron approached her table and at last, she looked up. "I got it back," said Harry, grinning at her and holding up the Firebolt. "See, Hermione? There wasn't anything wrong with it!" said Ron. "Well -- there might have been!" said Hermione. "I mean, at least you know now that it's safe!" "Yeah, I suppose so," said Harry. "I'd better put it upstairs." "I'll take it!" said Ron eagerly. "I've got to give Scabbers his rat tonic." He took the Firebolt and, holding it as if it were made of glass, carried it away up the boys' staircase. "Can I sit down, then?" Harry asked Hermione. "I suppose so," said Hermione, moving a great stack of parchment off a chair. Harry looked around at the cluttered table, at the long Arithmancy essay on which the ink was still glistening, at the even longer Muggle Studies essay ('Explain Why Muggles Need Electricity') and at the rune translation Hermione was now poring over. "How are you getting through all this stuff?" Harry asked her. "Oh, well -- you know -- working hard," said Hermione. Close-up, Harry saw that she looked almost as tired as Lupin. "Why don't you just drop a couple of subjects?" Harry asked, watching her lifting books as she searched for her rune dictionary. "I couldn't do that!" said Hermione, looking scandalized. "Arithmancy looks terrible," said Harry, picking up a very complicated-looking number chart. "Oh no, it's wonderful!" said Hermione earnestly. "It's my favorite subject! It's --" But exactly what was wonderful about Arithmancy, Harry never found out. At that precise moment, a strangled yell echoed down the boys' staircase. The whole common room fell silent, staring, petrified, at the entrance. Then came hurried footsteps, growing louder and louder -- and then Ron came leaping into view, dragging with him a bedsheet. "LOOK!" he bellowed, striding over to Hermione's table. "LOOK!" he yelled, shaking the sheets in her face. "Ron, what --?" "SCABBERS! LOOK! SCABBERS!" Hermione was leaning away from Ron, looking utterly bewildered. Harry looked down at the sheet Ron was holding. There was something red on it. Something that looked horribly like -- "BLOOD!" Ron yelled into the stunned silence. "HE'S GONE! AND YOU KNOW WHAT WAS ON THE FLOOR?" "N -- no," said Hermione in a trembling voice. Ron threw something down onto Hermione's rune translation. Hermione and Harry leaned forward. Lying on top of the weird, spiky shapes were several long, ginger cat hairs.

[readbookywooks]

Mudbloods and Murmurs

Harry spent a lot of time over the next few days dodging out of sight whenever he saw Gilderoy Lockhart coming down a corridor. Harder to avoid was Colin Creevey, who seemed to have memorized Harry's schedule. Nothing seemed to give Colin a bigger thrill than to say, "All right, Harry?" six or seven times a day and hear, "Hello, Colin," back, however exasperated Harry sounded when he said it. Hedwig was still angry with Harry about the disastrous car journey and Ron's wand was still malfunctioning, surpassing itself on Friday morning by shooting out of Ron's hand in Charms and hitting tiny old Professor Flitwick squarely between the eyes, creating a large, throbbing green boil where it had struck. So with one thing and another, Harry was quite glad to reach the weekend. He, Ron, and Hermione were planning to visit Hagrid on Saturday morning. Harry, however, was shaken awake several hours earlier than he would have liked by Oliver Wood, Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. "Whassamatter?" said Harry groggily. "Quidditch practice!" said Wood. "Come on!" Harry squinted at the window. There was a thin mist hanging across the pink-and-gold sky. Now that he was awake, he couldn't understand how he could have slept through the racket the birds were making. "Oliver," Harry croaked. "It's the crack of dawn." "Exactly," said Wood. He was a tall and burly sixth year and, at the moment, his eyes were gleaming with a crazed enthusiasm. "It's part of our new training program. Come on, grab your broom, and let's go," said Wood heartily. "None of the other teams have started training yet; we're going to be first off the mark this year--" Yawning and shivering slightly, Harry climbed out of bed and tried to find his Quidditch robes. "Good man," said Wood. "Meet you on the field in fifteen minutes." When he'd found his scarlet team robes and pulled on his cloak for warmth, Harry scribbled a note to Ron explaining where he'd gone and went down the spiral staircase to the common room, his Nimbus Two Thousand on his shoulder. He had just reached the portrait hole when there was a clatter behind him and Colin Creevey came dashing down the spiral staircase, his camera swinging madly around his neck and something clutched in his hand. "I heard someone saying your name on the stairs, Harry! Look what I've got here! I've had it developed, I wanted to show you--" Harry looked bemusedly at the photograph Colin was brandishing under his nose. A moving, black-and-white Lockhart was tugging hard on an arm Harry recognized as his own. He was pleased to see that his photographic self was putting up a good fight and refusing to be dragged into view. As Harry watched, Lockhart gave up and slumped, Panting, against the white edge of the picture. "Will you sign it?" said Colin eagerly. "No," said Harry flatly, glancing around to check that the room was really deserted. "Sorry, Colin, I'm in a hurry - Quidditch practice--" He climbed through the portrait hole. "Oh, wow! Wait for me! I've never watched a Quidditch game before!" Colin scrambled through the hole after him. "It'll be really boring," Harry said quickly, but Colin ignored him, his face shining with excitement. "You were the youngest House player in a hundred years, weren't you, Harry? Weren't you?" said Colin, trotting alongside him. "You must be brilliant. I've never flown. Is it easy? Is that your own broom? Is that the best one there is?" Harry didn't know how to get rid of him. It was like having an extremely talkative shadow. "I don't really understand Quidditch," said Colin breathlessly. "Is it true there are four balls? And two of them fly around trying to knock people off their brooms?" "Yes," said Harry heavily, resigned to explaining the complicated rules of Quidditch. "They're called Bludgers. There are two Beaters on each team who carry clubs to beat the Bludgers away from their side. Fred and George Weasley are the Gryffindor Beaters." "And what are the other balls for?" Colin asked, tripping down a couple of steps because he was gazing open-mouthed at Harry. "Well, the Quaffle - that's the biggish red one - is the one that scores goals. Three Chasers on each team throw the Quaffle to each other and try and get it through the goal posts at the end of the pitch - they're three long poles with hoops on the end." "And the fourth ball--" "- is the Golden Snitch," said Harry, "and it's very small, very fast, and difficult to catch. But that's what the Seeker's got to do, because a game of Quidditch doesn't end until the Snitch has been caught. And whichever team's Seeker gets the Snitch earns his team an extra hundred and fifty points." "And you're the Gryffindor Seeker, aren't you?" said Colin in awe. "Yes," said Harry as they left the castle and started across the dew-drenched grass. "And there's the Keeper, too. He guards the goal posts. That's it, really." But Colin didn't stop questioning Harry all the way down the sloping lawns to the Quidditch field, and Harry only shook him off when he reached the changing rooms; Colin called after him in a piping voice, "I'll go and get a good seat, Harry!" and hurried off to the stands. The rest of the Gryffindor team were already in the changing room. Wood was the only person who looked truly awake. Fred and George Weasley were sitting, puffy-eyed and touslehaired, next to fourth year Alicia Spinnet, who seemed to be nodding off against the wall behind her. Her fellow Chasers, Katie Bell and Angelina Johnson, were yawning side by side opposite them. "There you are, Harry, what kept you?" said Wood briskly. "Now, I wanted a quick talk with you all before we actually get onto the field, because I spent the summer devising a whole new training program, which I really think will make all the difference..." Wood was holding up a large diagram of a Quidditch field, on which were drawn many lines, arrows, and crosses in different colored inks. He took out his wand, tapped the board, and the arrows began to wiggle over the diagram like caterpillars. As Wood launched into a speech about his new tactics, Fred Weasley's head drooped right onto Alicia Spinnet's shoulder and he began to snore. The first board took nearly twenty minutes to explain, but there was another board under that, and a third under that one. Harry sank into a stupor as Wood droned on and on. "So," said Wood, at long last, jerking Harry from a wistful fantasy about what he could be eating for breakfast at this very moment up at the castle. "Is that clear? Any questions?" "I've got a question, Oliver," said George, who had woken with a start. "Why couldn't you have told us all this yesterday when we were awake?" Wood wasn't pleased. "Now, listen here, you lot," he said, glowering at them all. "We should have won the Quidditch cup last year. We're easily the best team. But unfortunately - owing to circumstances beyond our control--" Harry shifted guiltily in his seat. He had been unconscious in the hospital wing for the final match of the previous year, meaning that Gryffindor had been a player short and had suffered their worst defeat in three hundred years. Wood took a moment to regain control of himself. Their last defeat was clearly still torturing him. "So this year, we train harder than ever before... Okay, let's go and put our new theories into practice!" Wood shouted, seizing his broomstick and leading the way out of the locker rooms. Stiff-legged and still yawning, his team followed. They had been in the locker room so long that the sun was up completely now, although remnants of mist hung over the grass in the stadium. As Harry walked onto the field, he saw Ron and Hermione sitting in the stands. "Aren't you finished yet?" called Ron incredulously. "Haven't even started," said Harry, looking jealously at the toast and marmalade Ron and Hermione had brought out of the Great Hall. "Wood's been teaching us new moves." He mounted his broomstick and kicked at the ground, soaring up into the air. The cool morning air whipped his face, waking him far more effectively than Wood's long talk. It felt wonderful to be back on the Quidditch field. He soared right around the stadium at full speed, racing Fred and George. "What's that funny clicking noise?" called Fred as they hurtled around the corner. Harry looked into the stands. Colin was sitting in one of the highest seats, his camera raised, taking picture after picture, the sound strangely magnified in the deserted stadium. "Look this way, Harry! This way!" he cried shrilly. "Who's that?" said Fred. "No idea," Harry lied, putting on a spurt of speed that took him as far away as possible from Colin. "What's going on?" said Wood, frowning, as he skimmed through the air toward them. "Why's that first year taking pictures? I don't like it. He could be a Slytherin spy, trying to find out about our new training program." "He's in Gryffindor," said Harry quickly. "And the Slytherins don't need a spy, Oliver," said George. "What makes you say that?" said Wood testily. "Because they're here in person," said George, pointing. Several people in green robes were walking onto the field, broomsticks in their hands. "I don't believe it!" Wood hissed in outrage. "I booked the field for today! We'll see about this!" Wood shot toward the ground, landing rather harder than he meant to in his anger, staggering slightly as he dismounted. Harry, Fred, and George followed. "Flint!" Wood bellowed at the Slytherin Captain. "This is our practice time! We got up specially! You can clear off now!" Marcus Flint was even larger than Wood. He had a look of trollish cunning on his face as he replied, "Plenty of room for all of us, Wood." Angelina, Alicia, and Katie had come over, too. There were no girls on the Slytherin team, who stood shoulder to shoulder, facing the Gryffindors, leering to a man. "But I booked the field!" said Wood, positively spitting with rage. "I booked it!" "Ah," said Flint. "But I've got a specially signed note here from Professor Snape. I, Professor S. Snape, give the Slytherin team permission to practice today on the Quidditch field owing to the need to train their new Seeker'. " "You've got a new Seeker?" said Wood, distracted. "Where?" And from behind the six large figures before them came a seventh, smaller boy, smirking all over his pale, pointed face. It was Draco Malfoy. "Aren't you Lucius Malfoy's son?" said Fred, looking at Malfoy with dislike. "Funny you should mention Draco's father," said Flint as the whole Slytherin team smiled still more broadly. "Let me show you the generous gift he's made to the Slytherin team." All seven of them held out their broomsticks. Seven highly polished, brand-new handles and seven sets of fine gold lettering spelling the words Nimbus Two Thousand and One gleamed under the Gryffindors'noses in the early morning sun. "Very latest model. Only came out last month," said Flint carelessly, flicking a speck of dust from the end of his own. "I believe it outstrips the old Two Thousand series by a considerable amount. As for the old Cleansweeps" - he smiled nastily at Fred and George, who were both clutching Cleansweep Fives -" sweeps the board with them." None of the Gryffindor team could think of anything to say for a moment. Malfoy was smirking so broadly his cold eyes were reduced to slits. "Oh, look," said Flint. "A field invasion." Ron and Hermione were crossing the grass to see what was going on. "What's happening?" Ron asked Harry. "Why aren't you playing? And what's he doing here?" He was looking at Malfoy, taking in his Slytherin Quidditch robes. "I'm the new Slytherin Seeker, Weasley," said Malfoy, smugly. "Everyone's just been admiring the brooms my father's bought our team. Ron gaped, open-mouthed, at the seven superb broomsticks in front of him. "Good, aren't they?" said Malfoy smoothly. "But perhaps the Gryffindor team will be able to raise some gold and get new brooms, too. You could raffle off those Cleansweep Fives; I expect a museum would bid for them." The Slytherin team howled with laughter. "At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in," said Hermione sharply. " They got in on pure talent." The smug look on Malfoy's face flickered. "No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood," he spat. Harry knew at once that Malfoy had said something really bad because there was an instant uproar at his words. Flint had to dive in front of Malfoy to stop Fred and George jumping on him, Alicia shrieked, "How dare you!" and Ron plunged his hand into his robes, pulled out his wand, yelling, "You'll pay for that one, Malfoy!" and pointed it furiously under Flint's arm at Malfoys face. A loud bang echoed around the stadium and a jet of green light shot out of the wrong end of Ron's wand, hitting him in the stomach and sending him reeling backward onto the grass. "Ron! Ron! Are you all right?" squealed Hermione. Ron opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Instead he gave an almighty belch and several slugs dribbled out of his mouth onto his lap. The Slytherin team were paralyzed with laughter. Flint was doubled up, hanging onto his new broomstick for support. Malfoy was on all fours, banging the ground with his fist. The Gryffindors were gathered around Ron, who kept belching large, glistening slugs. Nobody seemed to want to touch him. "We'd better get him to Hagrid's, it's nearest," said Harry to Hermione, who nodded bravely, and the pair of them pulled Ron up by the arms. "What happened, Harry? What happened? Is he ill? But you can cure him, can't you?" Colin had run down from his seat and was now dancing alongside them as they left the field. Ron gave a huge heave and more slugs dribbled down his front. "Oooh," said Colin, fascinated and raising his camera. "Can you hold him still, Harry?" "Get out of the way, Colin!" said Harry angrily. He and Hermione supported Ron out of the stadium and across the grounds toward the edge of the forest. "Nearly there, Ron," said Hermione as the gamekeeper's cabin came into view. "You'll be all right in a minute - almost there--" They were within twenty feet of Hagrid's house when the front door opened, but it wasn't Hagrid who emerged. Gilderoy Lockhart, wearing robes of palest mauve today, came striding out. "Quick, behind here," Harry hissed, dragging Ron behind a nearby bush. Hermione followed, somewhat reluctantly. "It's a simple matter if you know what you're doing!" Lockhart was saying loudly to Hagrid. "If you need help, you know where I am! I'll let you have a copy of my book. I'm surprised you haven't already got one - I'll sign one tonight and send it over. Well, good-bye!" And he strode away toward the castle. Harry waited until Lockhart was out of sight, then pulled Ron out of the bush and up to Hagrid's front door. They knocked urgently. Hagrid appeared at once, looking very grumpy, but his expression brightened when he saw who it was. "Bin wonderin'when you'd come ter see me - come in, come in - thought you mighta bin Professor Lockhart back again--" Harry and Hermione supported Ron over the threshold into the one-roomed cabin, which had an enormous bed in one corner, a fire crackling merrily in the other. Hagrid didn't seem perturbed by Ron's slug problem, which Harry hastily explained as he lowered Ron into a chair. "Better out than in," he said cheerfully, plunking a large copper basin in front of him. "Get em all up, Ron." "I don't think there's anything to do except wait for it to stop," said Hermione anxiously, watching Ron bend over the basin. "That's a difficult curse to work at the best of times, but with a broken wand--" Hagrid was bustling around making them tea. His boarhound, Fang, was slobbering over Harry. "What did Lockhart want with you, Hagrid?" Harry asked, scratching Fang's ears. "Givin'me advice on gettin'kelpies out of a well," growled Hagrid, moving a half-plucked rooster off his scrubbed table and setting down the teapot. "Like I don'know. An'bangin'on about some banshee he banished. If one word of it was true, I'll eat my kettle." It was most unlike Hagrid to criticize a Hogwarts'teacher, and Harry looked at him in surprise. Hermione, however, said in a voice somewhat higher than usual, "I think you're being a bit unfair. Professor Dumbledore obviously thought he was the best man for the job--" "He was the on'y man for the job," said Hagrid, offering them a plate of treacle fudge, while Ron coughed squelchily into his basin. "An'I mean the on'y one. Gettin'very difficult ter find anyone fer the Dark Arts job. People aren't too keen ter take it on, see. They're startin'ter think it's jinxed. No one's lasted long fer a while now. So tell me," said Hagrid, jerking his head at Ron. "Who was he tryin'ter curse?" "Malfoy called Hermione something - it must've been really bad, because everyone went wild." "It was bad," said Ron hoarsely, emerging over the tabletop looking pale and sweaty. "Malfoy called her Mudblood,'Hagrid--" Ron dived out of sight again as a fresh wave of slugs made their appearance. Hagrid looked outraged. "He didn'!" he growled at Hermione. "He did," she said. "But I don't know what it means. I could tell it was really rude, of course--" "It's about the most insulting thing he could think of," gasped Ron, coming back up. "Mudblood's a really foul name for someone who is Muggle-born - you know, non-magic parents. There are some wizards - like Malfoy's family - who think they're better than everyone else because they're what people call pure-blood." He gave a small burp, and a single slug fell into his outstretched hand. He threw it into the basin and continued, "I mean, the rest of us know it doesn't make any difference at all. Look at Neville Longbottom - he's pure-blood and he can hardly stand a cauldron the right way up." "An'they haven't invented a spell our Hermione can'do," said Hagrid proudly, making Hermione go a brilliant shade of magenta. "It's a disgusting thing to call someone," said Ron, wiping his sweaty brow with a shaking hand. "Dirty blood, see. Common blood. It's ridiculous. Most wizards these days are half-blood anyway. If we hadn't married Muggles we'd've died out." He retched and ducked out of sight again. "Well, I don'blame yeh fer tryin'ter curse him, Ron," said Hagrid loudly over the thuds of more slugs hitting the basin. "Bu'maybe it was a good thing yer wand backfired. Spect Lucius Malfoy would've come marchin'up ter school if yeh'd cursed his son. Least yer not in trouble." Harry would have pointed out that trouble didn't come much worse than having slugs pouring out of your mouth, but he couldn't; Hagrid's treacle fudge had cemented his jaws together. "Harry," said Hagrid abruptly as though struck by a sudden thought. "Gotta bone ter pick with yeh. I've heard you've bin givin'out signed photos. How come I haven't got one?" Furious, Harry wrenched his teeth apart. "I have not been giving out signed photos," he said hotly. "If Lockhart's still spreading that around--" But then he saw that Hagrid was laughing. "I'm on'y jokin'," he said, patting Harry genially on the back and sending him face first into the table. "I knew yeh hadn't really. I told Lockhart yeh didn'need teh. Yer more famous than him without tryin'." "Bet he didn't like that," said Harry, sitting up and rubbing his chin. "Don'think he did," said Hagrid, his eyes twinkling. "An'then I told him I'd never read one o'his books an'he decided ter go. Treacle fudge, Ron?" he added as Ron reappeared. "No thanks," said Ron weakly. "Better not risk it." "Come an'see what I've bin growin'," said Hagrid as Harry and Hermione finished the last of their tea. In the small vegetable patch behind Hagrid's house were a dozen of the largest pumpkins Harry had ever seen. Each was the size of a large boulder. "Gettin'on well, aren't they?" said Hagrid happily. "Fer the Halloween feast... should be big enough by then." "What've you been feeding them?" said Harry. Hagrid looked over his shoulder to check that they were alone. "Well, I've bin givin'them - you know - a bit o'help--" Harry noticed Hagrid's flowery pink umbrella leaning against the back wall of the cabin. Harry had had reason to believe before now that this umbrella was not all it looked; in fact, he had the strong impression that Hagrid's old school wand was concealed inside it. Hagrid wasn't supposed to use magic. He had been expelled from Hogwarts in his third year, but Harry had never found out why - any mention of the matter and Hagrid would clear his throat loudly and become mysteriously deaf until the subject was changed. "An Engorgement Charm, I suppose?" said Hermione, halfway between disapproval and amusement. "Well, you've done a good job on them." "That's what yer little sister said," said Hagrid, nodding at Ron. "Met her jus'yesterday." Hagrid looked sideways at Harry, his beard twitching. "Said she was jus'lookin'round the grounds, but I reckon she was hopin'she might run inter someone else at my house." He winked at Harry. "If yeh ask me, she wouldn'say no ter a signed--" "Oh, shut up," said Harry. Ron snorted with laughter and the ground was sprayed with slugs. "Watch it!" Hagrid roared, pulling Ron away from his precious pumpkins. It was nearly lunchtime and as Harry had only had one bit of treacle fudge since dawn, he was keen to go back to school to eat. They said good-bye to Hagrid and walked back up to the castle, Ron hiccoughing occasionally, but only bringing up two very small slugs. They had barely set foot in the cool entrance hall when a voice rang out, "There you are, Potter - Weasley." Professor McGonagall was walking toward them, looking stern. "You will both do your detentions this evening." "What're we doing, Professor?" said Ron, nervously suppressing a burp. "You will be polishing the silver in the trophy room with Mr. Filch," said Professor McGonagall. "And no magic, Weasley - elbow grease." Ron gulped. Argus Filch, the caretaker, was loathed by every student in the school. "And you, Potter, will be helping Professor Lockhart answer his fan mail," said Professor McGonagall. "Oh n- Professor, can't I go and do the trophy room, too?" said Harry desperately. "Certainly not," said Professor McGonagall, raising her eyebrows. "Professor Lockhart requested you particularly. Eight o'clock sharp, both of you." Harry and Ron slouched into the Great Hall in states of deepest gloom, Hermione behind them, wearing a well-you-did-break-school-rules sort of expression. Harry didn't enjoy his shepherd's pie as much as he'd thought. Both he and Ron felt they'd got the worse deal. "Filch'll have me there all night," said Ron heavily. "No magic! There must be about a hundred cups in that room. I'm no good at Muggle cleaning." "I'd swap anytime," said Harry hollowly. "I've had loads of practice with the Dursleys. Answering Lockhart's fan mail... he'll be a nightmare..." Saturday afternoon seemed to melt away, and in what seemed like no time, it was five minutes to eight, and Harry was dragging his feet along the second-floor corridor to Lockhart's office. He gritted his teeth and knocked. The door flew open at once. Lockhart beamed down at him. "Ah, here's the scalawag!" he said. "Come in, Harry, come in--" Shining brightly on the walls by the light of many candles were countless framed photographs of Lockhart. He had even signed a few of them. Another large pile lay on his desk. "You can address the envelopes!" Lockhart told Harry, as though this was a huge treat. "This first one's to Gladys Gudgeon, bless her - huge fan of mine--" The minutes snailed by. Harry let Lockhart's voice wash over him, occasionally saying, "Mmm" and "Right" and "Yeah." Now and then he caught a phrase like, "Fame's a fickle friend, Harry," or "Celebrity is as celebrity does, remember that." The candles burned lower and lower, making the light dance over the many moving faces of Lockhart watching him. Harry moved his aching hand over what felt like the thousandth envelope, writing out Veronica Smethley's address. It must be nearly time to leave , Harry thought miserably, please let it be nearly time... And then he heard something - something quite apart from the spitting of the dying candles and Lockhart's prattle about his fans. It was a voice, a voice to chill the bone marrow, a voice of breathtaking, ice-cold venom. "Come... come to me... Let me rip you... Let me tear you... Let me kill you..." Harry gave a huge jump and a large lilac blot appeared on Veronica Smethley's street. "What?" he said loudly. "I know!" said Lockhart. "Six solid months at the top of the best-seller list! Broke all records!" "No," said Harry frantically. "That voice!" "Sorry?" said Lockhart, looking puzzled. "What voice?" "That - that voice that said - didn't you hear it?" Lockhart was looking at Harry in high astonishment. "What are you talking about, Harry? Perhaps you're getting a little drowsy? Great Scott - look at the time! We've been here nearly four hours! I'd never have believed it - the time's flown, hasn't it?" Harry didn't answer. He was straining his ears to hear the voice again, but there was no sound now except for Lockhart telling him he mustn't expect a treat like this every time he got detention. Feeling dazed, Harry left. It was so late that the Gryffindor common room was almost empty. Harry went straight up to the dormitory. Ron wasn't back yet. Harry pulled on his pajamas, got into bed, and waited. Half an hour later, Ron arrived, nursing his right arm and bringing a strong smell of polish into the darkened room. "My muscles have all seized up," he groaned, sinking on his bed. "Fourteen times he made me buff up that Quidditch cup before he was satisfied. And then I had another slug attack all over a Special Award for Services to the School. Took ages to get the slime off... How was it with Lockhart?" Keeping his voice low so as not to wake Neville, Dean, and Seamus, Harry told Ron exactly what he had heard. "And Lockhart said he couldn't hear it?" said Ron. Harry could see him frowning in the moonlight. "D'you think he was lying? But I don't get it - even someone invisible would've had to open the door." "I know," said Harry, lying back in his four-poster and staring at the canopy above him. "I don't get it either."