A/N: I'm still thinking about the title for this one. Anyone with suggestions would be appreciated. Until then, I'm stuck with "The Book," the suggestion of my sister who still insists to read these stories with very distinctive voices for every character. Anyways, this is the sequel to The Trophy. If you haven't read that, you probably shouldn't read this. Oh, and I'd like to say that, no matter what I said in The Trophy, it took place in sixth year. Also, Sirius did not suggest that Harry hide, Dumbledore did. Okay, good.
Disclaimer: Since J. K. is the only person who has rights to Harry Potter and is one of the few people who make money off of it, and I am not her, I am not making any money from this. Everyone follow that, alright?
Chapter 1
Ron
"I can't believe her."
"Me either."
"Just stranding us here!"
"It's horrible!"
"Leaving us to deal with this sea-"
"Mountain-"
"Swamp-"
"If you two don't keep your voices down, Madam Pince is going to throw us out of here!" Ginny hissed at Harry and me. All of us were sitting at a table in the back of the rather large library.
"And Hermione gave us such a stupid excuse, too," I continued, though I did keep my voice down.
"She's probably helping Malfoy study," Harry said, unnecessarily. Though I really hadn't said much to Malfoy in over a year, since the Trophy Room incident, both Harry and I knew that Hermione spent a lot of time with him. That was expected, of course. He was her boyfriend.
"Like he couldn't do it without her. We're the ones who need the help," I argued. Harry shot me an agreeable look. He and I had become friends again after he had come out of hiding in the beginning of February last year. We had never really talked about what he had said, and I really didn't want to. The memory was just too painful.
"Well, you do have me to help, so stop whining," Ginny hissed angrily.
"But you're a year younger then us. I still don't get how you can help," I complained.
"Well, I remember a bit more about sixth year then you do, don't I? As I am in sixth year."
"She's got a point there," Harry commented.
And Ginny set about helping us review material from the past six years we had spent at Hogwarts. And, it was dull. Really, earth shatteringly, dull. So, I slowly slid my hand under the table and tapped Harry's leg. He knew what I was up too, and handed me a strand of his hair that he had pulled off the shoulder of his robes. I slipped my wand under the table as well, wrapped the hair around it, pointed it at me, and muttered, "Etacinummoc."
"This, is the most boring thing I have ever done," I communicated to him. The telepathic voice always sounded so transparent, which always gave me the shivers.
"Seriously," he thought back.
"And then in 1534, Trey the Terrible decided to team up with the giants and come after the Ministry of Magic. This attack was thwarted by a team of bounty hunters that-" Ginny read, not aware that anything was different.
"You think that goblins and giants teaming up would be much more interesting then this," I commented to Harry.
"Goblins and giants. G and G," Harry said, a laugh almost hidden in his thought.
"They could open a shop!"
"A flower shop!"
"-When this plan failed, the warriors managed to drive the twenty foot tall beasts back be pouring large amounts of hummus on their heads," Ginny said loudly.
Harry and I stopped our laughing that was silent to everyone but him and me. "They attacked the giants with hummus?" I wondered aloud, somewhat confused.
"You too haven't done the communication charm again, have you?" she said, exasperated.
"Of course not!" I said, pretending to be insulted.
"Because you know what Hermione would say," Ginny continued.
"She would either give you the history of the communication charm or tell you that these exams will determine your entire future," said a voice from behind us. We all turned to see the pale face of Draco Malfoy. "Could I borrow one of your copies of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them? You took the last ones."
With a rather annoyed glare, Harry handed Malfoy a copy of the book. He strode off, without another word to us.
"What do you want to bet that Hermione's helping him study?" I grumbled.
"Two sickles," my sister piped in.
"You're gonna lose, Ginny," Harry told her gently.
"She wouldn't do that to you guys. She may have decided to date Malfoy, but that doesn't mean that she hates you."
"Yeah, she just likes him better," Harry said grumpily. I shared his opinion on this, but I knew something. I knew that one day, she would realize her mistake. One day, she's gonna pick me, instead.
Madame Pince
The complete silence of the library was always so soothing to me. I loved the blankness of it. It was one place I could always just sit and think. Which is what I was doing until I was rudely interrupted by they headmaster.
"Hello, Penelope. I was wondering if I may have a word with you," he said. "It is about your suggestion to have overdue books scream at the children who have checked them out."
Of course, I did not want to miss this conversation because I had been eagerly awaiting the decision for some time now. "I'll be right with you, Albus. Just let me lock up." And that was when I remembered my new locking method. We went to the door, closed it behind us. I pulled out my wand and said "Aromahola!"
Draco
"I think that's about all we're going to get finished tonight," Hermione said in a low voice, abruptly closing the text book in front of her with a snap.
"You're not mad, are you?" I asked, worried about the angry expression on her face. I had hope that my appearance at Harry, Ron, and Ron's sister's table would remind them to be quieter. But all it did was bring about more disturbing conversation.
"About what? The fact that my friends are making bets about what I'm doing?"
"And the fact that they're right." He put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "We could move farther away from them, if you want. So we can't hear them."
"No, that's okay," she said, sounding very tired. "I couldn't concentrate anyways. No, let's just go back."
I sighed. I didn't get to normally spend so much time with Hermione. Since we have NEWTs coming, we've had lots of homework lately. I've also had Quidditch practices. We've both had Prefect duties, and we couldn't be together then. Hermione also had something called the DA which I am not allowed to join, apparently. Anyways, the point of all that was to say that I did not want to waste one of the few evenings I got with her. "Alright," I said, nonetheless.
"Thanks," she said, standing up quickly and pulling her bag over her shoulder.
I got up as well. "Come on," I said. "I'll walk you back." So, hand in hand, we made our way over to the library door. But when I tried the knob, it wouldn't budge. "What the hell?" I muttered, pushing with all my might on the door knob.
A/N: You know you love the ending. It's so cool. Okay, the chapters will get longer, but the story has to capture a bit more momentum first. Also, Madame Pince will not be in it again. Just saying, I know her little interlude was boring, but I had to put an explanation of how they got in there. Anyways, everybody review now!