It was one of those days most Londoners would consider nothing short of a miracle: for instead of the dull, miserable snowfall, bright cheerful sunshine greeted everyone to uplift the mood of a drab, cold winter morning.
In one of the many beat-up apartments of uptown London, Harry Potter is seen lazily sitting on a sad, dilapidated blue couch. His green eyes are closed as he listens to Carole King, a Muggle singer, crooning "So Far Away". Harry's Muggle neighbor is known for constantly playing such record, and though he was irritated in the beginning, Harry learned to enjoy his neighbor's taste in music.
Yes, Harry Potter lives in an area filled with Muggles much like the Dursley's place in Privet Drive. Yes, Harry Potter no longer lives with his relatives in Surrey. Instead, he now lives alone in a small flat courtesy of the Ministry of Magic's Auror Training Program. And yes, he is the only wizard living in the entire building. Unless you count two other Aurors who live in the same edifice as they watch over Harry. And unlike the Dursley's, his apartment is, to put it mildly, messy. Banners of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team hang lopsidedly by the bedroom door; trunks in various stages of use overflow with clothes and bric-a-bracs; shelves find themselves smothered with books, notes, magazines and newspapers both from the wizarding and Muggle worlds. The kitchen cries for intensive cleaning: dirty plates lay grimy on the kitchen sink; pots and pans black with soot, the refigerator contains nothing but drinking water and bottles of butterbeer.
It is definitely a place Mrs. Weasley would've loved cleaning--with her voice loudly muttering about men being such pigs on the side, of course.
Since the end of the Second War, the Ministry decided to house would-be Aurors in the midst of Muggle communities. "To further instill in you and your sorry lot the value of discipline and self-control under immense pressure", quipped a worker from the Ministry when Harry asked him about it in the beginning of his training.
To Harry's left is a huge pile of his massive books--Advanced Charms and Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts and Transfigurations--notes acquired throughout his years at Hogwarts (some of them supplied by Hermione) and papers given by the Ministry of Magic. Such a mountain of material makes it impossible to find the coffee table groaning underneath the intense weight.
In a matter of days, Harry will be taking the first of his major exams in Auror Training. However, instead of doing some last minute reviews, Harry is the embodiment of je nai sais qua as he listens to his neighbor's music. Moments later, he sits up and unearths a massive leather bound book. it is a picture album containing photos of him, Ron, Hermione, the Grangers, and the rest of the Weasleys taken at The Burrow the previous summer. The trio had just finished their final year at Hogwarts and decided to celebrate at the Weasleys. Hermione's parents came with her for the first time, and, as expected, Harry came alone.
The memory brought a bittersweet smile to Harry's lips. Ever since he realized that he is free from the distasteful task of returning to the Dursleys between terms, he decided to take the Ministry's offer of living in one of its tenements, but since he can only move in when training starts in September, the Weasleys—especially Molly—were more than happy to take him in for the time being.
Everyone was excited. Ron got accepted as Chaser for his favorite team, the Chudley Cannons. Hermione will work for the Ministry's Muggle Department, which, incidentally, was Arthur Weasley's old department before he was promoted as Minister of Magic after his brilliant performance during the Final War with Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Bill has recently married Fleur, Charlie was to go to Scotland to study dragon breeding. The twins were as exasperating and as funny as ever, what with their joke shop doing so well. The only downside to this success is that the family, and whoever the unfortunate visitor was, usually ends up the guinea pig for the newest invention of Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes. Percy, still the Junior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic, seems to be the favorite target, much to the horror, and secret delight of Molly Weasley.
As Harry flips a page of his album, his gaze falls on a photograph he fervently hopes no one would take notice of. It is a picture of him and Ginny at Platform 9 ¾ taken last summer. Since Ginny is the only Weasley remaining at Hogwarts, the entire family, along with Harry and Hermione, decided to give her a great send-off.
Which, to a certain degree, embarrassed Ginny.
It is not a secret how rambunctious a group the Weasleys are. Molly and Arthur were practically cornered by every parent who knows them; Bill and Charlie were horsing around as they reminisced the good old times with their former classmates; Percy, the only formal person in the family, discussed work with his colleagues; even Ron, the new Chudley Cannon Chaser, found himself unavailable to help his sister as Hogwarts students huddled themselves and harassed him for autographs. Only Harry and Hermione were left to help Ginny settle herself in one of the compartments.
Hermione took two shots. The first she used a wizard's camera, the second with a Muggle one—"Why to keep Muggles from suspecting, of course!" she snapped at their questioning glances.
Unknown to the Weasleys, Harry asked Hermione for an extra copy of the Muggle picture. Taking it out from its hiding place—right under the wizard one which shows him, Ron, and Hermione happily waving at the camera—Harry intently stared at it. Anyone who doesn't know the real circumstances would concur that the picture revealed more than casual friendship between Harry and Ginny: his arms casually around her shoulders, her head leaning a bit toward his chest; them laughing heartily as they looked at the camera. Harry couldn't help but smile as he recalls the reason for their laughter.
Right behind Hermione stood Fred and George, nasty grins on the their faces as they watched a slight commotion happen. One of the students unknowingly ate one of their "Reformulated Ton-Tongue Toffees" and was groveling on the platform very much like Dudley when he ate the prototype years ago. Hermione, Percy, and Mrs. Weasley were livid with indignation; the other Weasleys were torn between laughing their heads off and hexing Fred and George as payment for the "stunt."
A pang of longing and sadness suddenly pierced Harry's heart. He really misses his friends. With an even heavier heart, he now remembers that it's been weeks since he last saw any one of them: Ron, Hermione, Dean, Seamus, Neville, Luna, Ginny. The moment he became occupied with Auror Training, he rarely had the time to send his friends even an owl. If it wasn't for Ron's and Hermione's persistence, he wouldn't have joined them for a mug of butterbeer and a shot or two of firewhiskey—which to Harry's surprise, was first offered by Hermione—for a few hours of chit-chat.
Looking at his "secret" picture again, Harry couldn't help but smile as he touches Ginny's image. Wonderful, crazy Ginny. Ms. Ginny Weasley—only sister of his best friend Ron, the girl he saved from the Dark Lord and the Chamber of Secrets, his Defense Associate who took those secret classes with him at Hogwarts and fought with him at the Department of Mysteries, the girl who practically saved his neck during the Final Battle, a very good friend.
Or is she?
Since he started his seventh year, he felt a certain degree of protectiveness—possessiveness?—toward her. Every time she mentions the name of the guy she dates or see her with him, he felt like punching a hole in the wall—better yet, the loser's face. While he pondered on those strange feelings, he surmised that it could only be brotherly, unlike the absolute outrage Ron displays over Hermione's growing friendship with Viktor Krum. At least, he and Ron had something to discuss aside from quidditch.
Like hell they could. Ron would never admit whatever feelings he has for Hermione, neither would Harry do the same. For him, Ginny is a friend. "How good a friend is she?" is a question he fears to ask.
And so, Harry sits on his couch, taking some time off from his studies as he thinks of Ginny and how much he misses her. He wonders how she is right now, if she is playing quidditch or if she is thinking of ways to hex the next person she considers a git, or if she is at the library or… breathing a deep sigh, Harry places the Muggle photograph back in its hiding place and stared sightlessly at the Gryffindor Quidditch Team banner.
Suddenly, Hedwig gave a hoot of indignation as an owl noisily enters the room. A Hogwarts owl, Harry thought. Only one person from Hogwarts would send him a letter at this time of the year.
Hastily, he takes the letter from the owl and offers it some owl treats. Hedwig hooted her protest loudly. "Shush Hedwig, you will be out in a few minutes," Harry said as he watched the Hogwarts owl rush back to where it came from.
With a wide grin and shaking fingers, her opens the letter. True enough, Ginny's neat, small strokes greeted him.
"Dear Harry," it began, "how have you been you prat?" Harry laughed; Ginny had christenedhim the "Prat" during his sixth year. He read on, "what have you been up to lately? I bet you are bored as a dementor in a sunny park right now, so I decided to cheer you up. At any rate, any news from you? It's been ages since we last saw each other…Ron and Hermione told me—through owl, of course—that you guys met in London for some drinks days ago.
And you never even bothered to send me a note? How could you! Anyway, the entire Gryffindor Quidditch Team misses its famous Seeker. Write soon or I might be forced to send you a howler. Ha! Ha! Ginny."
Typical Ginny, thought Harry as he smirks. Always can get away from being pushy, bossy, and a bigger bully than Hermione. Oops! I better not let Hermione know what I think of her at times, otherwise I may never be able to counter curse her, he chuckles.
Harry remembers something in the note Ginny gave him. There are moments when they talk about the guys Ginny dated or those that she is interested in. However, she never said anything now. Then he remembers how much time Ginny gave him when they were together during the summer; come to think of it, it seemed like too much time. She never went out on dates, never talked about boys with her or Hermione, nothing.
The insight made him curious. But the chicken that he is, Harry is afraid to ask. A few minutes of silence ensued. Grabbing his quill and parchment, he writes:
"Dear Ginny, how's my favorite redhead…?"
In one of the many beat-up apartments of uptown London, Harry Potter is seen lazily sitting on a sad, dilapidated blue couch. His green eyes are closed as he listens to Carole King, a Muggle singer, crooning "So Far Away". Harry's Muggle neighbor is known for constantly playing such record, and though he was irritated in the beginning, Harry learned to enjoy his neighbor's taste in music.
Yes, Harry Potter lives in an area filled with Muggles much like the Dursley's place in Privet Drive. Yes, Harry Potter no longer lives with his relatives in Surrey. Instead, he now lives alone in a small flat courtesy of the Ministry of Magic's Auror Training Program. And yes, he is the only wizard living in the entire building. Unless you count two other Aurors who live in the same edifice as they watch over Harry. And unlike the Dursley's, his apartment is, to put it mildly, messy. Banners of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team hang lopsidedly by the bedroom door; trunks in various stages of use overflow with clothes and bric-a-bracs; shelves find themselves smothered with books, notes, magazines and newspapers both from the wizarding and Muggle worlds. The kitchen cries for intensive cleaning: dirty plates lay grimy on the kitchen sink; pots and pans black with soot, the refigerator contains nothing but drinking water and bottles of butterbeer.
It is definitely a place Mrs. Weasley would've loved cleaning--with her voice loudly muttering about men being such pigs on the side, of course.
Since the end of the Second War, the Ministry decided to house would-be Aurors in the midst of Muggle communities. "To further instill in you and your sorry lot the value of discipline and self-control under immense pressure", quipped a worker from the Ministry when Harry asked him about it in the beginning of his training.
To Harry's left is a huge pile of his massive books--Advanced Charms and Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts and Transfigurations--notes acquired throughout his years at Hogwarts (some of them supplied by Hermione) and papers given by the Ministry of Magic. Such a mountain of material makes it impossible to find the coffee table groaning underneath the intense weight.
In a matter of days, Harry will be taking the first of his major exams in Auror Training. However, instead of doing some last minute reviews, Harry is the embodiment of je nai sais qua as he listens to his neighbor's music. Moments later, he sits up and unearths a massive leather bound book. it is a picture album containing photos of him, Ron, Hermione, the Grangers, and the rest of the Weasleys taken at The Burrow the previous summer. The trio had just finished their final year at Hogwarts and decided to celebrate at the Weasleys. Hermione's parents came with her for the first time, and, as expected, Harry came alone.
The memory brought a bittersweet smile to Harry's lips. Ever since he realized that he is free from the distasteful task of returning to the Dursleys between terms, he decided to take the Ministry's offer of living in one of its tenements, but since he can only move in when training starts in September, the Weasleys—especially Molly—were more than happy to take him in for the time being.
Everyone was excited. Ron got accepted as Chaser for his favorite team, the Chudley Cannons. Hermione will work for the Ministry's Muggle Department, which, incidentally, was Arthur Weasley's old department before he was promoted as Minister of Magic after his brilliant performance during the Final War with Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Bill has recently married Fleur, Charlie was to go to Scotland to study dragon breeding. The twins were as exasperating and as funny as ever, what with their joke shop doing so well. The only downside to this success is that the family, and whoever the unfortunate visitor was, usually ends up the guinea pig for the newest invention of Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes. Percy, still the Junior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic, seems to be the favorite target, much to the horror, and secret delight of Molly Weasley.
As Harry flips a page of his album, his gaze falls on a photograph he fervently hopes no one would take notice of. It is a picture of him and Ginny at Platform 9 ¾ taken last summer. Since Ginny is the only Weasley remaining at Hogwarts, the entire family, along with Harry and Hermione, decided to give her a great send-off.
Which, to a certain degree, embarrassed Ginny.
It is not a secret how rambunctious a group the Weasleys are. Molly and Arthur were practically cornered by every parent who knows them; Bill and Charlie were horsing around as they reminisced the good old times with their former classmates; Percy, the only formal person in the family, discussed work with his colleagues; even Ron, the new Chudley Cannon Chaser, found himself unavailable to help his sister as Hogwarts students huddled themselves and harassed him for autographs. Only Harry and Hermione were left to help Ginny settle herself in one of the compartments.
Hermione took two shots. The first she used a wizard's camera, the second with a Muggle one—"Why to keep Muggles from suspecting, of course!" she snapped at their questioning glances.
Unknown to the Weasleys, Harry asked Hermione for an extra copy of the Muggle picture. Taking it out from its hiding place—right under the wizard one which shows him, Ron, and Hermione happily waving at the camera—Harry intently stared at it. Anyone who doesn't know the real circumstances would concur that the picture revealed more than casual friendship between Harry and Ginny: his arms casually around her shoulders, her head leaning a bit toward his chest; them laughing heartily as they looked at the camera. Harry couldn't help but smile as he recalls the reason for their laughter.
Right behind Hermione stood Fred and George, nasty grins on the their faces as they watched a slight commotion happen. One of the students unknowingly ate one of their "Reformulated Ton-Tongue Toffees" and was groveling on the platform very much like Dudley when he ate the prototype years ago. Hermione, Percy, and Mrs. Weasley were livid with indignation; the other Weasleys were torn between laughing their heads off and hexing Fred and George as payment for the "stunt."
A pang of longing and sadness suddenly pierced Harry's heart. He really misses his friends. With an even heavier heart, he now remembers that it's been weeks since he last saw any one of them: Ron, Hermione, Dean, Seamus, Neville, Luna, Ginny. The moment he became occupied with Auror Training, he rarely had the time to send his friends even an owl. If it wasn't for Ron's and Hermione's persistence, he wouldn't have joined them for a mug of butterbeer and a shot or two of firewhiskey—which to Harry's surprise, was first offered by Hermione—for a few hours of chit-chat.
Looking at his "secret" picture again, Harry couldn't help but smile as he touches Ginny's image. Wonderful, crazy Ginny. Ms. Ginny Weasley—only sister of his best friend Ron, the girl he saved from the Dark Lord and the Chamber of Secrets, his Defense Associate who took those secret classes with him at Hogwarts and fought with him at the Department of Mysteries, the girl who practically saved his neck during the Final Battle, a very good friend.
Or is she?
Since he started his seventh year, he felt a certain degree of protectiveness—possessiveness?—toward her. Every time she mentions the name of the guy she dates or see her with him, he felt like punching a hole in the wall—better yet, the loser's face. While he pondered on those strange feelings, he surmised that it could only be brotherly, unlike the absolute outrage Ron displays over Hermione's growing friendship with Viktor Krum. At least, he and Ron had something to discuss aside from quidditch.
Like hell they could. Ron would never admit whatever feelings he has for Hermione, neither would Harry do the same. For him, Ginny is a friend. "How good a friend is she?" is a question he fears to ask.
And so, Harry sits on his couch, taking some time off from his studies as he thinks of Ginny and how much he misses her. He wonders how she is right now, if she is playing quidditch or if she is thinking of ways to hex the next person she considers a git, or if she is at the library or… breathing a deep sigh, Harry places the Muggle photograph back in its hiding place and stared sightlessly at the Gryffindor Quidditch Team banner.
Suddenly, Hedwig gave a hoot of indignation as an owl noisily enters the room. A Hogwarts owl, Harry thought. Only one person from Hogwarts would send him a letter at this time of the year.
Hastily, he takes the letter from the owl and offers it some owl treats. Hedwig hooted her protest loudly. "Shush Hedwig, you will be out in a few minutes," Harry said as he watched the Hogwarts owl rush back to where it came from.
With a wide grin and shaking fingers, her opens the letter. True enough, Ginny's neat, small strokes greeted him.
"Dear Harry," it began, "how have you been you prat?" Harry laughed; Ginny had christenedhim the "Prat" during his sixth year. He read on, "what have you been up to lately? I bet you are bored as a dementor in a sunny park right now, so I decided to cheer you up. At any rate, any news from you? It's been ages since we last saw each other…Ron and Hermione told me—through owl, of course—that you guys met in London for some drinks days ago.
And you never even bothered to send me a note? How could you! Anyway, the entire Gryffindor Quidditch Team misses its famous Seeker. Write soon or I might be forced to send you a howler. Ha! Ha! Ginny."
Typical Ginny, thought Harry as he smirks. Always can get away from being pushy, bossy, and a bigger bully than Hermione. Oops! I better not let Hermione know what I think of her at times, otherwise I may never be able to counter curse her, he chuckles.
Harry remembers something in the note Ginny gave him. There are moments when they talk about the guys Ginny dated or those that she is interested in. However, she never said anything now. Then he remembers how much time Ginny gave him when they were together during the summer; come to think of it, it seemed like too much time. She never went out on dates, never talked about boys with her or Hermione, nothing.
The insight made him curious. But the chicken that he is, Harry is afraid to ask. A few minutes of silence ensued. Grabbing his quill and parchment, he writes:
"Dear Ginny, how's my favorite redhead…?"