The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, Second Edition
A/N—Just as the title says. This is the second book of Voldie's rise to power and fall from power. Check out the disclaimer. If you like the 'useless trivia,' I'll keep doing it.
Disclaimer—The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts belongs to J.K. Rowling. Harry and the gang also belong to her. I own the plot. J.K. Rowling owns the rest of the Harry-associated-stuff since she is the third richest person in Britain.
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The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, Second Edition. Chapter I, Part I, Book I, Harry Potter
Time: Harry's fifth year.
The First Tragedy
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The school mourned Cedric's death into the next year. We were very worried about Voldemort's rise to power—again.
I had my mind occupied though. Alicia Spinnet, our new captain, was doing new moves with us. She kept going on about how much we missed last year.
"Harry, you have a Firebolt, use it to it's full potential! I've ridden my brother's before, so I know how nice they are to handle, so try to dodge the other players, and balls, to get the Snitch!" Alicia ranted at Quidditch practice.
"So, do you want me to go and try it?" I asked her.
"Go show us what you can do! Everybody else needs to practice the new moves anyway. Let's go!" She said as she walked out the door of the locker room.
It felt so great to be out on the Quidditch pitch again. This is where I felt most free. I hopped on my broom and began flying. The wind whipped my hair and robes back. I flew under Angelina Johnson, dodged the Bludgers, and caught the Snitch.
We practiced for about an hour, and then Alicia told us it was time for dinner. On the way she muttered something about needing a new Keeper, and I forgot that now that Oliver Wood was gone, we needed a new Keeper.
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"Heard about the new Keeper yet?" One of my best friends, Ronald Weasley, asked me at dinner between bites of his steak and kidney pie.
"Alicia muttered something about it," I replied. I knew that Ron wanted on the team. And, he was an exceptional Keeper.
"Oh," Ron started. "Wonder where Hermione is."
"Probably writing to Viktor Krum," I joked.
"After that kiss last year?" Ron asked. "I thought you were her one and only devotion."
I blushed furiously.
"Hey guys!" Ron's elder brother, Fred, said. "Mind if I sit down?"
"Go ahead," I told him. "By the way, have you seen Hermione yet?"
"No," He began. "You see Alicia? I need to talk to her. She's still mad at me."
"If I was in her shoes I would be to," I said. "Yeah, I saw her. She went to go talk to McGonagall and Dumbledore about having try-outs for the Gryffindor Keeper."
"D'you reckon I could get the spot?" Ron asked Fred.
"Probably, although I don't want my brother on the team," Fred replied.
"Your brother is on the team, George," I pointed out.
"I don't mean my twin brother. I mean my little brother. Ickle Ronniekins." Fred joked.
"Shut up, Frederick," Ron replied.
"Shut up, Ronald," Fred said as he got up. "I have to go talk to Alicia. And, if you do try-out Ron, good luck, okay bro?"
"No prob."
I was worried about Hermione. We had been waiting for her for a while. Unless she was doing the 'S.P.E.W.' thing again, she should have been at dinner.
"I'm gonna go look for Hermione," I said and walked out the doors of the Great Hall.
I walked through the corridors to the library. Hermione would probably be there studying. I walked in the doors.
"What are you looking for?" The librarian, Madam Pince, asked me.
"You wouldn't have happened to see Hermione Granger here, have you?" I asked her.
"No," She replied.
I walked out the door and up to the Gryffindor common room. The Fat Lady's friend, Violet, was there.
"Password?" The Fat Lady asked.
"Bat wings," I said and the portrait swung open. I walked in and looked around the common room. Hermione wasn't there. Lavender Brown was though, sitting on the couch doing her Divination homework.
"Hey Harry," She said.
"Hey Lavender. Have you seen Hermione anywhere?"
"Nope, not in here."
"So you wouldn't go up to the girls' dormitories and check?"
"No, you can," She replied. "It doesn't look like I have homework to do, does it?"
I nodded and walked up the stairs to the girls' common room. There was a sign on the door that said 'Fifth Years' just like there was on the boys'. I knocked on the door. "Hermione?"
I heard no answer. "Hermione?" I opened the door to see Hermione's body sprawled out on the ground, just as Cedric's had last year. She was dead.
I started screaming. "Hermione! No, No, Hermione! Hermione, wake up!" I looked up to see the Dark Mark. One of Voldemort's followers or Voldemort himself was here, and they killed Hermione. I started crying and then Lavender ran in the door.
"Harry, what's wrong?" She asked as she looked up and down the room. She saw Hermione's body and the Dark Mark and started screaming.
I kept crying on Hermione's body. "Oh Hermione, why did Voldemort do this to you?"
Lavender wiped the tears from her eyes and looked up at me. "I-I-I'll go g-g-get Professor D-D-Dumbledore," She cried and ran down the stairs.
"Hermione," I sobbed. "Hermione." I kissed her on the lips. "Hermione…"
Ten minutes later, Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Flitwick gathered in the room along with Madam Pomprey. They took Hermione's body and sent an owl to her parents. They sent us all to the common room.
Ron started crying into my shoulder. I wiped my eyes and tried to stay strong for everyone else, although I was in pieces inside.
Fred, I guessed, had made up with Alicia, because she was crying in his arms. He kept stroking her and telling her it would be okay.
Lavender and Seamus sat by the fire. Lavender had her head in his arms. I could see that both of their eyes were red.
Ron went over to Ginny after a while. I felt better then. I could cry and nobody would notice now that Ron wasn't beside me. I started thinking about the five years that I had known Hermione. She was so smart, so nice, so pretty, how could anyone do this to her?
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The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, Second Edition. Chapter II, Part I, Book I, Ronald Weasley
Time: Four weeks before Christmas of his fifth year, two months after Hermione's death
The New Keeper
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"Are you sure I can do this?" I asked my best friend, Harry Potter, timidly.
"Of course. I even pit a good word in for you to Alicia. So did everyone else," Harry replied. "Just do it for Hermione…." His voice trailed off.
Hermione Granger was our other best friend. One of You-Know-Who's followers or You-Know-Who himself killed her two months ago, a little before October began. It's the beginning of December now.
My eyes started to water but I forced back my tears. "Yeah, I will…"
I hopped on my new Nimbus 2002, which my mum and dad had bought with the thousand Galleons Harry had won last year for winning the Tri-wizard cup. He had given them to Fred and George for their prank company. They had only taken one hundred, and given the rest to Mum and Dad.
"Okay Ron, show me what you got!" Alicia Spinnet called.
She, Angelina Johnson, and Katie Bell hopped on their brooms and took turns throwing the Quaffle to each other and trying to score. Fred, George, and Harry even took a go at it. I stopped most of the balls, and at the end of the try-out, Alicia was smiling.
"Ronald Weasley, welcome to the Gryffindor Quidditch team!" She said happily. "You are our new Keeper!"
I blushed. I was so happy. I finally had achieved what I had wanted to do since my first year; be on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Harry, Fred, George, Alicia, Angelina, and Katie wouldn't stop smiling. Finally Alicia spoke up.
"This is the best team Gryffindor ever had! No matter what anyone else thinks! You guys are the best Quidditch team Hogwarts ever had!"
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"Ron! first match of the Quidditch season scheduled!" George yelled to me in the common room a week later.
"I thought Ravenclaw played Hufflepuff two weeks ago!" Angelina said.
"They did," Katie replied.
"I mean it's the first match for us," George replied.
"Who are we playing?" I asked.
"Ravenclaw," Fred replied. He was at the bulletin board in the common room with George. They were posting order forms for their prank and joke company.
Harry blushed. "We'll get to play against Cho!"
Cho Chang was Harry's crush. He tried to ask her to the Yule Ball last year, but Cedric Diggory had asked her first.
"What makes you think she'll be over Cedric?" Alicia asked him.
"Well, I'm alive and he's dead," Harry pointed out.
"Well, that was mean, Harry. It sounded like you were Draco Malfoy!" Katie said.
"I know. I miss Cedric. He was so nice. He gave me the password to the Prefect's bathroom last year and the answer to the egg. I get to go there all the time now, but it just upsets me because I keep thinking of Hermione and Cedric," Harry replied.
"Hey guys," Lee Jordan said as he walked in the common room. "Have you guys seen my tarantula anywhere? I can't find Sugar anywhere!"
"Hopefully he died," Alicia joked.
"Alicia!" Fred said as he playfully punched her on the shoulder. "How can you insult Sugar like that? He was my friend!"
"Because he's a spider, and I don't like them. They're all big and hairy and have way to many legs," Alicia pointed out.
I was more scared of spiders than anything in the world. Only because when I was little Fred turned my teddy bear into a spider for breaking his toy broomstick. "I agree with you, Alicia."
"See? Even your own brother agrees with me!" Alicia called at him.
Just then Katie gave a little scream. Sugar crawled out of her chair. "Lee Jordan, I swear…" She ran into him trying to get away from the tarantula.
Seamus, Lavender, Dean, and Parvati walked over. "What's all the commotion about?" Seamus asked.
"Lee is setting his killer tarantula on me!" Katie shrieked.
"He isn't a killer, are ya Sugar?" Lee argued.
"Sugar?" Lavender gasped. "You named your spider 'Sugar'?"
"He's a tarantula, not a 'spider', Lavender, and he's not killer. It's not his fault he eats bugs and stuff," Lee replied.
"Lemme see him, Lee," Dean began. "Seamus and I are taking your spot next year, so we need to know what kind of stuff to get."
"First, you can stock up on 'Weasleys Wizard Wheezes…" Fred said.
"Yep. You can't ever have too many…" George added
"Then you need to learn just the right moment to set of a Filibuster in Snape's class…" Lee added.
We all burst out laughing. I knew that Hermione would have loved to be here now. Except she would have been doing homework or something. She had just began to lighten up, too. I missed her so much. I loved her, and I never told her that I did. It was my mistake. My problem. The only reason she wasn't here with us, joking with us, was because she was Muggle-born. That's the only reason.
"I think I'm going to go up to bed," I said as I got up.
"'Night Ron!" Everyone said as I walked up to the boys' dormitories.
The stairs creaked as I walked up to the Fifth-year's room. I opened the door, changed into my night clothes, and crawled into bed. I kissed the picture of Hermione that sat on my night stand. I closed the curtains to my four poster, and fell asleep.
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The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, Second Edition. Chapter III, Part I, Book I, Harry Potter
Time: Two weeks before Christmas of his fifth year
The Second Yule-Ball
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"And now students, we would like to tell you that since the Yule-Ball was such a big hit last year, we are having it again!" Dumbledore beamed.
Ron rolled his eyes. "As long as I don't have to go with Padma…"
I jumped down from the Gryffindor table and ran to the Ravenclaw as fast as I could. I wasn't going to miss out on going with Cho this year.
"Cho!" I called. "C'mere a sec!"
She walked down from the Gryffindor table, her dark brown hair swishing behind her. "Yes?"
"Uh, would you like –would you like to go to the Ball with me?" I blurted out.
To my surprise, she smiled. "Er, sure Harry. I'd love to!"
I blushed. "That's great! I'll pick you up in front of the doors to the Great Hall, okay?"
"That'd be great!" Cho said as she walked back to the Ravenclaw table.
"So, d'you ask her?" Ron asked me as I sat down.
"Yes," I said smiling even more.
"What'd she say?" Ron urged.
"She said yes!" I replied.
"That's good," Ron said.
I could tell the depression in his voice. I knew he was really timid about asking someone. "Who are you going to ask?"
"No one, I guess…" His voice trailed off. I knew he missed Hermione. I missed her too.
"How about one of Cho's friends? We could go together then," I suggested.
"Which one?" He asked me.
"How about Caitlin Hill?" I told him.
"Oh know, not the blonde…" He cried.
"What's wrong with her? She seems really nice."
"She was dissing you at the tournament last year. She, Cho, and the rest of Cho's little friends were sitting behind Alicia, Angelina, and Katie. They told me."
"Oh well, she's for you, not me…"
"Oh, okay!" Ron yelled and walked over to the Ravenclaw table.
Alicia was sitting near the end of the table, near the Ravenclaw end. I walked to where she was sitting and sat down beside her.
"Harry! She's my girl!" Fred snapped at me jokingly.
"I know. I'm listened to your brother trying to get a date for the Yule-Ball," I replied.
"Oh," Fred said simply. Alicia gave him a stern look. I knew what she was thinking of. Last year at about this time, he had asked Angelina to the ball instead of Alicia. Alicia had gotten mad at him earlier, but still wanted to go with him.
Ron walked back, his face red. "She said yes!"
"That's great Ron!" I said.
"Yeah, I know. The first thing she said was 'Are you Harry Potter's best friend?' and I said yeah and she said, 'tell him sorry for going off on him last year'!" He replied.
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Ron changed into his new, emerald dress robes. He was going to meet Caitlin when I met Cho.
"Good luck with Padma," Ron told Neville. He had asked Parvati's twin sister, Padma. Last year he went with Ron's younger sister, Ginny.
"She seems nice to me," Neville said.
"Believe me, she isn't," Ron replied.
"Don't tell Parvati that," Dean Thomas said. He was going with Parvati. I felt bad for him. I had went with her last year, but Dean was enchanted with her.
"Or Lavender, she'll tell Parvati," Seamus added. He was going with Lavender Brown, as he did last year.
"Well, we must go!" I said cheerfully to Ron and we walked out the door.
We walked down to the Great Hall. Down there waiting were Cho and Caitlin. Ron walked over to Caitlin. I walked over to Cho and offered her an arm.
We stood around in the corridor watching everyone else come in. I saw Pansy Parkinson walking down the stairs with Draco Malfoy's arm. Alicia and Fred came in soon after them. George and Angelina came in with them. Lee and Katie walked in the door with them also. Dean and Seamus walked in with Lavender and Parvati. Goyle walked in with Millicent Bulstrode. Crabbe walked behind him with Nancy Nott.
"Ready?" Cho asked me.
"Uh, yes!" I stumbled.
She held onto my arm and walked into the Great Hall. We sat down at one of the little tables that held a dozen, just as we had last year.
The Ravenclaw captain, Roger Davies sat at our table with Lisa Turpin, who was a year younger than he was. Ron and Caitlin sat down at it to, followed by Seamus and Lavender, Neville and Padra, and two other Ravenclaws I didn't know.
I looked at the menu, thinking of Hermione last year with her S.P.E.W. campaign.
"Pork chops!" I said and pork chops appeared on my plate.
"So nifty how they do this, eh Harry?" Cho asked.
"Yeah, they're really cool," I replied, gazing into her greenish, brownish eyes.
We had eaten dinner and the Weird Sisters had comeback to do the music for us again.
"Want to dance?" I asked Cho.
"Sure!" She said, getting up.
I led her out onto the dance floor and she put her hand on my shoulder. I out my hand on her waist and we began to dance to a slow song. For once, I led. Hermione had taught me how to dance over the summer. My eyes stared to water. "Hermione," I said softly.
I looked into Cho's face. She looked the same way. I knew she was probably thinking off Cedric. "Are you okay?" I asked her.
"No," She said sadly. "I keep thinking of Cedric."
"It's nothing to be sad about," I said, and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "I still think of Hermione all the time."
"You do?" She asked. She sounded startled.
"Well, of course! She was one of my best friends!" I told her. "And you know, I should be blamed for Cedric's death."
Cho took my hand and we sat down. "No, you shouldn't. It's not your fault. It's You-Know-Who's. He killed him, not you. Do you have that straight, Harry? It's not your fault."
"But if I would have just taken the cup…"
"Nothing would have changed. You both were to noble to take it for yourself. You brought his body back to Hogwarts, let me see him one more time…"
I kissed Cho again, because I thought she needed it.
"I'll take you back to the Ravenclaw common room if you like," I offered.
"Oh, thank you," She replied.
We walked back to the Ravenclaw common room. I left her at the door, and ran off to the Gryffindor common room to cry; I missed Hermione more than ever before.
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The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, Second Edition. Chapter IV, Part I, Book I, Alicia Spinnet
Time: Two weeks after the 2nd Yule Ball
Ravenclaw vs. Gryffindor
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"Come on, Harry!" I yelled. "Altitude equals speed! Go higher!" I was watching Harry race for the Snitch. I had Lee Jordan racing with him to get it. Lee Jordan was a very fast racer.
"Caught it!" Harry yelled. He held up the golden Snitch.
"Okay team, we'll win tomorrow!" I shouted. "Because this is the best ruddy team Hogwarts has ever had!" I was pretending to be Oliver Wood, out old Keeper and captain.
"Shut up, Alicia! You're reminding us of Oliver!" George yelled.
"And that's a bad thing?" I asked.
"Yes. We liked him and all, it's just that we don't exactly like his 'inspiration' speeches," Katie replied.
"Okay, I'll stop then," I said, giving a fake sniffle.
"You're making us feel guilty, Alicia," Fred said.
"Only because she's your girl," Ron told Fred.
"Okay, c'mon team, let's go eat dinner," I yelled, and started up the hill to the school.
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"Okay, everyone remember their new moves?" I asked the team in the locker rooms the next day, before the game.
"Hopefully," Harry replied.
"Let's go then!" I said, ignoring him.
We walked out onto the Quidditch pitch. I saw Ravenclaw team in their blue robes.
"And here's the Gryffindor Quidditch team; Spinnet, Bell, Johnson, Potter, Weasley, Weasley, and Weasley! They have a new Keeper and captain this year. Ron Weasley, a fifth year is their new Keeper and seventh year Alicia Spinnet is their new captain," Lee Jordan said over the loud speaker.
"Spinnet, Davies, shake hands," Madam Hooch, the Quidditch referee said.
I walked to where she was standing. Roger Davies put out his hand. I took it and gave him a smile. Alexander, my brother, taught me that. He said that it makes you feel less threatening. I hope Roger was getting the message.
"When I blow my whistle, three… two… one," She blew her whistle and fifteen brooms, including her own, flew up into the air.
I caught the Quaffle and passed it to Angelina. She flew across the field with it; going higher than all of the Ravenclaws so they couldn't intercept.
I saw the Ravenclaw Beater hit a Bludger my way. I dodged it. Fred came up behind be and hit it toward the Ravenclaw Chaser who was on Angelina's tail. He missed the Bludger and tried to score on Ron. He caught it and passed it to Katie. She caught it and flew the opposite direction. She scored on the Ravenclaw Keeper. I realized I hadn't seen Harry. Then I saw a scarlet steak chasing a small golden ball. He was chasing the Snitch.
"Alicia!" I heard a voice yell. I saw Angelina pass the Quaffle to me. I caught it and raced to the Ravenclaw goal posts. The Keeper wasn't watching the goal post on the right. I threw it –It made it through. Then I heard another voice.
"I got the Snitch!"
It was a male voice, so it had to be Harry.
Then I heard screaming in the stands. I looked over to see about twenty hooded and masked faces.
"BACK TO THE SCHOOL!" Professor McGonagall's voice yelled.
The Ravenclaw and Gryffindor flew back to the school. I flew in the door and looked around for the rest of the team.
"Alicia?" I heard a male voice say. "Alicia?"
I looked around and saw Fred looking around and yelling my name. I ran into his arms. "Fred!"
He kissed me on the forehead and then extended his arms so I was looking at him. "Where's everyone else?"
"I was looking for them," I replied.
He let me go. "Go look for Katie, Angelina, and Harry. I'll go look for my brothers."
"Katie? Angelina? Harry? Where are you guys?" I asked walking through all of the people.
"Alicia! Alicia Spinnet!" A voice yelled. I saw Harry with Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw Seeker.
I ran over to him. "Harry! Where's Katie, Angelina, Ron, and George?"
"I think I saw Katie and Angelina with George and Lee. I don't know where Ron is. Where's Fred?" Harry asked.
"Have you guys seen Caitlin Hill?" Cho asked us. I knew Caitlin from last year. She, Cho, and a lot of Cho's friends had sat behind of us at the third task. I had also met her when I had comforted Cho after Cedric's death.
"She could be with Ron," Harry suggested.
"I don't know. I'll ask Fred if he's seen them," I said as I walked to the back of the room.
"Alicia! I've found them all but Harry!" Fred yelled as he ran back to where I was standing.
"And I found Harry," I replied.
"Alicia!" Ron said as he ran up to me. "Those were Death-Eaters. They're back and they're who killed Hermione!"
"Oh God," I said simply. "Not again. All the Muggle-borns are in trouble."
"You're a Pure-Blood, Alicia," Ron replied.
"Yes, but we all have friends who are Muggle-born, Ron," I told him.
"Cailtin's Muggle-born," Ron said, his eyes going wide. He ran off, most likely looking for her.
"Have you seen Dumbledore?" I asked Fred.
"He ran up to his office to send an owl to your dad," Fred replied. My dad was the new Minister of Magic since Fudge got sacked. Since Fudge was out of office, Fred's dad was an Auror. My dad needed as many as he could now that You-Know-Who was back in power.
"Great," I said. I could still her screaming outside. Yells of drunken Death-Eaters and screams of their victims.
I saw Harry walk up to us. "Have you seen Caitlin anywhere? Cho's getting really worried about her."
"Uh, Ron just went to look for her," Fred replied.
I ran to the window in the corridor. I looked outside to see the men running around, wands up in the air. Next, I heard Ron scream.
"No! Not Caitlin!" He cried.
I saw Professor McGonagall carrying in a girl with long, blonde hair in. She was just frozen, with a look of terror on her face. Avada Kedavra. The killing curse. She was unmarked, and unblemished. It was the curse that killed Hermione Granger, Cedric Diggory, the Potters, and so many more.
"No!" Cho cried running to her best friend. Harry ran over to her too.
Professor McGonagall took her to the hospital wing. This was the second death this year. I felt a stab of pain. Caitlin was so nice. Now she was dead. I felt Fred's hand on my shoulder. Harry had Cho's hand and was walking to the hospital wing. Ron was following.
"I have to go send an owl to my dad," I told Fred and ran to the Gryffindor common room.
"Password?" The Fat Lady asked.
"Bat wings," I said and she swung open. I found some parchment and a quill lying on the title.
'Dear Dad,
There's been another death here. I'm getting worried. What the heck is happening around here?
Love, Alicia'
I sealed the letter and ran down to the Owlery to find my owl. I sent the letter to my dad and ran back down to the Great Hall.
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The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, Second Edition. Chapter V, Part I, Book I, Fred Weasley
Time: Two weeks after Caitlin Hill's death, one week into February
Mr. Spinnet's trip to Hogwarts
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I was helping Alicia with her Ancient Runes homework. It wasn't exactly her best subject.
"Do you get it?" I asked her.
"Not exactly," She began. "Let's stop for tonight. We still have a week."
"Studying for your N.E.W.T.s?" Harry asked.
"I'm not," I replied. "I'm helping Alicia with her homework."
"Oh, I see. Have you guys seen Ron? He hasn't been the same since Caitlin died. He's been spending a lot of time in the library," Harry said.
"Sorry, Harry, I haven't seen him," Alicia replied.
"I'll check the library," Harry said as he walked off.
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"Alicia, why is your dad sitting at the High Table?" I asked her the next morning at breakfast.
"I don't know," Alicia said as she got up. She walked to the High Table and I followed her.
"Dad?" She asked. I was pretty sure that was her dad; he had her eyes, darker brown hair. Sort of a mix between our British accent and his Italian. Very easy to understand. A bit of a darker complexion than Alicia.
"Hello, Alicia, Master Weasley," He joked. I had known Mr. Spinnet for a long time since he and my dad had been friends. Bill and Charlie were about his oldest son, Alexander's, age
"Hey Mr. Spinnet," I replied.
"Hi Dad," Alicia began. "What are you doing here?"
Professor Dumbledore spoke. "He's here visiting the school in spite of the –deaths, lately."
Mr. Spinnet looked pained as he said that. I guessed he was trying to change the subject. "So, I heard that Alicia has been following in Alex's footsteps. Beat the pants off Ravenclaw not to long ago."
Professor Dumbledore tried not to laugh. "Not unusual for Gryffindor, Alexander."
I knew that Alicia's father went by 'Alexander' and her brother went by 'Alex'. I still thought it a bit too formal to call him 'Alexander'.
"How long are you going to be here?" Alicia asked him.
"Oh, I don't know. Until we're sure we have things cleared up and the Ministry gets a life. They're all so worried about He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. If he's going to try to take over the wizarding world, let him do it and put up a good fight along the way! We can't go about worrying about it, can we Albus? We just have to know the right spells and we'll be fine. Why? Are you planning on going into business with Fred instead of going into the Ministry and you don't want to know? By the way Fred, I'd like some of those Ton Tongue Toffees. I'm going to use them on the dunderheads in the office," He replied.
I blushed. My dad must have told him about 'Weasley's Wizard Wheezes', our new business. "I'll get you some, Mr. Spinnet."
"Fred, you don't have to call me 'Mr. Spinnet' just because we're in public and Professor Dumbledore is around," He told me.
"Sorry," I started. "So, planning on Alicia going into the Ministry?"
"Hopefully, either that or playing for England, just like Al," He replied. "She can do anything she wants besides working for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and being a bum."
"And I don't plan on being either of those," Alicia told him.
"Well, it was nice visiting with you two but I must go visit the trophy room. Just have the itch to go see all of the Inter-House and Quidditch Cups. I'd also like very much to see the Tri-Wizard Cup," He said and started towards the trophy room.
"Okay, whatever you do, you can't do anything horrible while my dad is here, Fred," Alicia told me.
"Why? He did worse things than we have?" I asked her.
"You don't want your mum to know, do you?" She asked me.
"Uh, no," I said simply and we walked back to the Gryffindor table.
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We were standing in front of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. The new teacher was a loony. Personally, I thought he was a Death-Eater.
"Come in class," Professor Greg Janet said as he opened the door. "Today we will be studying the three unforgivable curses."
"Professor, we studied those last year," Katie Bell said.
"Yeah," Lee Jordan agreed. "Can I show you them? I mean, I can use them on you. It's no trouble, really."
"Silence!" He barked. He raised his wand and aimed it at Lee.
Lee sat down quickly in his chair. "Sorry sir," He whimpered. He started shaking.
"Turn your books to page three hundred thirty-five. Read it silently," He shouted at us.
We spent the whole class period reading our books. This new professor had begun to scare me.
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A/N –I'm already working on the next chapters. This may have been a little OOC, but it's my fic. Let me explain how the heading to each chapter goes—Chapter- New chapter each time the person's POV changes. Part-Changes every five chapters. Each new installment. Book- Each new year it changes. Harry Potter, The person speaking. Reviews are appreciated!
A/N—Just as the title says. This is the second book of Voldie's rise to power and fall from power. Check out the disclaimer. If you like the 'useless trivia,' I'll keep doing it.
Disclaimer—The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts belongs to J.K. Rowling. Harry and the gang also belong to her. I own the plot. J.K. Rowling owns the rest of the Harry-associated-stuff since she is the third richest person in Britain.
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The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, Second Edition. Chapter I, Part I, Book I, Harry Potter
Time: Harry's fifth year.
The First Tragedy
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The school mourned Cedric's death into the next year. We were very worried about Voldemort's rise to power—again.
I had my mind occupied though. Alicia Spinnet, our new captain, was doing new moves with us. She kept going on about how much we missed last year.
"Harry, you have a Firebolt, use it to it's full potential! I've ridden my brother's before, so I know how nice they are to handle, so try to dodge the other players, and balls, to get the Snitch!" Alicia ranted at Quidditch practice.
"So, do you want me to go and try it?" I asked her.
"Go show us what you can do! Everybody else needs to practice the new moves anyway. Let's go!" She said as she walked out the door of the locker room.
It felt so great to be out on the Quidditch pitch again. This is where I felt most free. I hopped on my broom and began flying. The wind whipped my hair and robes back. I flew under Angelina Johnson, dodged the Bludgers, and caught the Snitch.
We practiced for about an hour, and then Alicia told us it was time for dinner. On the way she muttered something about needing a new Keeper, and I forgot that now that Oliver Wood was gone, we needed a new Keeper.
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"Heard about the new Keeper yet?" One of my best friends, Ronald Weasley, asked me at dinner between bites of his steak and kidney pie.
"Alicia muttered something about it," I replied. I knew that Ron wanted on the team. And, he was an exceptional Keeper.
"Oh," Ron started. "Wonder where Hermione is."
"Probably writing to Viktor Krum," I joked.
"After that kiss last year?" Ron asked. "I thought you were her one and only devotion."
I blushed furiously.
"Hey guys!" Ron's elder brother, Fred, said. "Mind if I sit down?"
"Go ahead," I told him. "By the way, have you seen Hermione yet?"
"No," He began. "You see Alicia? I need to talk to her. She's still mad at me."
"If I was in her shoes I would be to," I said. "Yeah, I saw her. She went to go talk to McGonagall and Dumbledore about having try-outs for the Gryffindor Keeper."
"D'you reckon I could get the spot?" Ron asked Fred.
"Probably, although I don't want my brother on the team," Fred replied.
"Your brother is on the team, George," I pointed out.
"I don't mean my twin brother. I mean my little brother. Ickle Ronniekins." Fred joked.
"Shut up, Frederick," Ron replied.
"Shut up, Ronald," Fred said as he got up. "I have to go talk to Alicia. And, if you do try-out Ron, good luck, okay bro?"
"No prob."
I was worried about Hermione. We had been waiting for her for a while. Unless she was doing the 'S.P.E.W.' thing again, she should have been at dinner.
"I'm gonna go look for Hermione," I said and walked out the doors of the Great Hall.
I walked through the corridors to the library. Hermione would probably be there studying. I walked in the doors.
"What are you looking for?" The librarian, Madam Pince, asked me.
"You wouldn't have happened to see Hermione Granger here, have you?" I asked her.
"No," She replied.
I walked out the door and up to the Gryffindor common room. The Fat Lady's friend, Violet, was there.
"Password?" The Fat Lady asked.
"Bat wings," I said and the portrait swung open. I walked in and looked around the common room. Hermione wasn't there. Lavender Brown was though, sitting on the couch doing her Divination homework.
"Hey Harry," She said.
"Hey Lavender. Have you seen Hermione anywhere?"
"Nope, not in here."
"So you wouldn't go up to the girls' dormitories and check?"
"No, you can," She replied. "It doesn't look like I have homework to do, does it?"
I nodded and walked up the stairs to the girls' common room. There was a sign on the door that said 'Fifth Years' just like there was on the boys'. I knocked on the door. "Hermione?"
I heard no answer. "Hermione?" I opened the door to see Hermione's body sprawled out on the ground, just as Cedric's had last year. She was dead.
I started screaming. "Hermione! No, No, Hermione! Hermione, wake up!" I looked up to see the Dark Mark. One of Voldemort's followers or Voldemort himself was here, and they killed Hermione. I started crying and then Lavender ran in the door.
"Harry, what's wrong?" She asked as she looked up and down the room. She saw Hermione's body and the Dark Mark and started screaming.
I kept crying on Hermione's body. "Oh Hermione, why did Voldemort do this to you?"
Lavender wiped the tears from her eyes and looked up at me. "I-I-I'll go g-g-get Professor D-D-Dumbledore," She cried and ran down the stairs.
"Hermione," I sobbed. "Hermione." I kissed her on the lips. "Hermione…"
Ten minutes later, Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Flitwick gathered in the room along with Madam Pomprey. They took Hermione's body and sent an owl to her parents. They sent us all to the common room.
Ron started crying into my shoulder. I wiped my eyes and tried to stay strong for everyone else, although I was in pieces inside.
Fred, I guessed, had made up with Alicia, because she was crying in his arms. He kept stroking her and telling her it would be okay.
Lavender and Seamus sat by the fire. Lavender had her head in his arms. I could see that both of their eyes were red.
Ron went over to Ginny after a while. I felt better then. I could cry and nobody would notice now that Ron wasn't beside me. I started thinking about the five years that I had known Hermione. She was so smart, so nice, so pretty, how could anyone do this to her?
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The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, Second Edition. Chapter II, Part I, Book I, Ronald Weasley
Time: Four weeks before Christmas of his fifth year, two months after Hermione's death
The New Keeper
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"Are you sure I can do this?" I asked my best friend, Harry Potter, timidly.
"Of course. I even pit a good word in for you to Alicia. So did everyone else," Harry replied. "Just do it for Hermione…." His voice trailed off.
Hermione Granger was our other best friend. One of You-Know-Who's followers or You-Know-Who himself killed her two months ago, a little before October began. It's the beginning of December now.
My eyes started to water but I forced back my tears. "Yeah, I will…"
I hopped on my new Nimbus 2002, which my mum and dad had bought with the thousand Galleons Harry had won last year for winning the Tri-wizard cup. He had given them to Fred and George for their prank company. They had only taken one hundred, and given the rest to Mum and Dad.
"Okay Ron, show me what you got!" Alicia Spinnet called.
She, Angelina Johnson, and Katie Bell hopped on their brooms and took turns throwing the Quaffle to each other and trying to score. Fred, George, and Harry even took a go at it. I stopped most of the balls, and at the end of the try-out, Alicia was smiling.
"Ronald Weasley, welcome to the Gryffindor Quidditch team!" She said happily. "You are our new Keeper!"
I blushed. I was so happy. I finally had achieved what I had wanted to do since my first year; be on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Harry, Fred, George, Alicia, Angelina, and Katie wouldn't stop smiling. Finally Alicia spoke up.
"This is the best team Gryffindor ever had! No matter what anyone else thinks! You guys are the best Quidditch team Hogwarts ever had!"
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"Ron! first match of the Quidditch season scheduled!" George yelled to me in the common room a week later.
"I thought Ravenclaw played Hufflepuff two weeks ago!" Angelina said.
"They did," Katie replied.
"I mean it's the first match for us," George replied.
"Who are we playing?" I asked.
"Ravenclaw," Fred replied. He was at the bulletin board in the common room with George. They were posting order forms for their prank and joke company.
Harry blushed. "We'll get to play against Cho!"
Cho Chang was Harry's crush. He tried to ask her to the Yule Ball last year, but Cedric Diggory had asked her first.
"What makes you think she'll be over Cedric?" Alicia asked him.
"Well, I'm alive and he's dead," Harry pointed out.
"Well, that was mean, Harry. It sounded like you were Draco Malfoy!" Katie said.
"I know. I miss Cedric. He was so nice. He gave me the password to the Prefect's bathroom last year and the answer to the egg. I get to go there all the time now, but it just upsets me because I keep thinking of Hermione and Cedric," Harry replied.
"Hey guys," Lee Jordan said as he walked in the common room. "Have you guys seen my tarantula anywhere? I can't find Sugar anywhere!"
"Hopefully he died," Alicia joked.
"Alicia!" Fred said as he playfully punched her on the shoulder. "How can you insult Sugar like that? He was my friend!"
"Because he's a spider, and I don't like them. They're all big and hairy and have way to many legs," Alicia pointed out.
I was more scared of spiders than anything in the world. Only because when I was little Fred turned my teddy bear into a spider for breaking his toy broomstick. "I agree with you, Alicia."
"See? Even your own brother agrees with me!" Alicia called at him.
Just then Katie gave a little scream. Sugar crawled out of her chair. "Lee Jordan, I swear…" She ran into him trying to get away from the tarantula.
Seamus, Lavender, Dean, and Parvati walked over. "What's all the commotion about?" Seamus asked.
"Lee is setting his killer tarantula on me!" Katie shrieked.
"He isn't a killer, are ya Sugar?" Lee argued.
"Sugar?" Lavender gasped. "You named your spider 'Sugar'?"
"He's a tarantula, not a 'spider', Lavender, and he's not killer. It's not his fault he eats bugs and stuff," Lee replied.
"Lemme see him, Lee," Dean began. "Seamus and I are taking your spot next year, so we need to know what kind of stuff to get."
"First, you can stock up on 'Weasleys Wizard Wheezes…" Fred said.
"Yep. You can't ever have too many…" George added
"Then you need to learn just the right moment to set of a Filibuster in Snape's class…" Lee added.
We all burst out laughing. I knew that Hermione would have loved to be here now. Except she would have been doing homework or something. She had just began to lighten up, too. I missed her so much. I loved her, and I never told her that I did. It was my mistake. My problem. The only reason she wasn't here with us, joking with us, was because she was Muggle-born. That's the only reason.
"I think I'm going to go up to bed," I said as I got up.
"'Night Ron!" Everyone said as I walked up to the boys' dormitories.
The stairs creaked as I walked up to the Fifth-year's room. I opened the door, changed into my night clothes, and crawled into bed. I kissed the picture of Hermione that sat on my night stand. I closed the curtains to my four poster, and fell asleep.
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The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, Second Edition. Chapter III, Part I, Book I, Harry Potter
Time: Two weeks before Christmas of his fifth year
The Second Yule-Ball
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"And now students, we would like to tell you that since the Yule-Ball was such a big hit last year, we are having it again!" Dumbledore beamed.
Ron rolled his eyes. "As long as I don't have to go with Padma…"
I jumped down from the Gryffindor table and ran to the Ravenclaw as fast as I could. I wasn't going to miss out on going with Cho this year.
"Cho!" I called. "C'mere a sec!"
She walked down from the Gryffindor table, her dark brown hair swishing behind her. "Yes?"
"Uh, would you like –would you like to go to the Ball with me?" I blurted out.
To my surprise, she smiled. "Er, sure Harry. I'd love to!"
I blushed. "That's great! I'll pick you up in front of the doors to the Great Hall, okay?"
"That'd be great!" Cho said as she walked back to the Ravenclaw table.
"So, d'you ask her?" Ron asked me as I sat down.
"Yes," I said smiling even more.
"What'd she say?" Ron urged.
"She said yes!" I replied.
"That's good," Ron said.
I could tell the depression in his voice. I knew he was really timid about asking someone. "Who are you going to ask?"
"No one, I guess…" His voice trailed off. I knew he missed Hermione. I missed her too.
"How about one of Cho's friends? We could go together then," I suggested.
"Which one?" He asked me.
"How about Caitlin Hill?" I told him.
"Oh know, not the blonde…" He cried.
"What's wrong with her? She seems really nice."
"She was dissing you at the tournament last year. She, Cho, and the rest of Cho's little friends were sitting behind Alicia, Angelina, and Katie. They told me."
"Oh well, she's for you, not me…"
"Oh, okay!" Ron yelled and walked over to the Ravenclaw table.
Alicia was sitting near the end of the table, near the Ravenclaw end. I walked to where she was sitting and sat down beside her.
"Harry! She's my girl!" Fred snapped at me jokingly.
"I know. I'm listened to your brother trying to get a date for the Yule-Ball," I replied.
"Oh," Fred said simply. Alicia gave him a stern look. I knew what she was thinking of. Last year at about this time, he had asked Angelina to the ball instead of Alicia. Alicia had gotten mad at him earlier, but still wanted to go with him.
Ron walked back, his face red. "She said yes!"
"That's great Ron!" I said.
"Yeah, I know. The first thing she said was 'Are you Harry Potter's best friend?' and I said yeah and she said, 'tell him sorry for going off on him last year'!" He replied.
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Ron changed into his new, emerald dress robes. He was going to meet Caitlin when I met Cho.
"Good luck with Padma," Ron told Neville. He had asked Parvati's twin sister, Padma. Last year he went with Ron's younger sister, Ginny.
"She seems nice to me," Neville said.
"Believe me, she isn't," Ron replied.
"Don't tell Parvati that," Dean Thomas said. He was going with Parvati. I felt bad for him. I had went with her last year, but Dean was enchanted with her.
"Or Lavender, she'll tell Parvati," Seamus added. He was going with Lavender Brown, as he did last year.
"Well, we must go!" I said cheerfully to Ron and we walked out the door.
We walked down to the Great Hall. Down there waiting were Cho and Caitlin. Ron walked over to Caitlin. I walked over to Cho and offered her an arm.
We stood around in the corridor watching everyone else come in. I saw Pansy Parkinson walking down the stairs with Draco Malfoy's arm. Alicia and Fred came in soon after them. George and Angelina came in with them. Lee and Katie walked in the door with them also. Dean and Seamus walked in with Lavender and Parvati. Goyle walked in with Millicent Bulstrode. Crabbe walked behind him with Nancy Nott.
"Ready?" Cho asked me.
"Uh, yes!" I stumbled.
She held onto my arm and walked into the Great Hall. We sat down at one of the little tables that held a dozen, just as we had last year.
The Ravenclaw captain, Roger Davies sat at our table with Lisa Turpin, who was a year younger than he was. Ron and Caitlin sat down at it to, followed by Seamus and Lavender, Neville and Padra, and two other Ravenclaws I didn't know.
I looked at the menu, thinking of Hermione last year with her S.P.E.W. campaign.
"Pork chops!" I said and pork chops appeared on my plate.
"So nifty how they do this, eh Harry?" Cho asked.
"Yeah, they're really cool," I replied, gazing into her greenish, brownish eyes.
We had eaten dinner and the Weird Sisters had comeback to do the music for us again.
"Want to dance?" I asked Cho.
"Sure!" She said, getting up.
I led her out onto the dance floor and she put her hand on my shoulder. I out my hand on her waist and we began to dance to a slow song. For once, I led. Hermione had taught me how to dance over the summer. My eyes stared to water. "Hermione," I said softly.
I looked into Cho's face. She looked the same way. I knew she was probably thinking off Cedric. "Are you okay?" I asked her.
"No," She said sadly. "I keep thinking of Cedric."
"It's nothing to be sad about," I said, and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "I still think of Hermione all the time."
"You do?" She asked. She sounded startled.
"Well, of course! She was one of my best friends!" I told her. "And you know, I should be blamed for Cedric's death."
Cho took my hand and we sat down. "No, you shouldn't. It's not your fault. It's You-Know-Who's. He killed him, not you. Do you have that straight, Harry? It's not your fault."
"But if I would have just taken the cup…"
"Nothing would have changed. You both were to noble to take it for yourself. You brought his body back to Hogwarts, let me see him one more time…"
I kissed Cho again, because I thought she needed it.
"I'll take you back to the Ravenclaw common room if you like," I offered.
"Oh, thank you," She replied.
We walked back to the Ravenclaw common room. I left her at the door, and ran off to the Gryffindor common room to cry; I missed Hermione more than ever before.
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The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, Second Edition. Chapter IV, Part I, Book I, Alicia Spinnet
Time: Two weeks after the 2nd Yule Ball
Ravenclaw vs. Gryffindor
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"Come on, Harry!" I yelled. "Altitude equals speed! Go higher!" I was watching Harry race for the Snitch. I had Lee Jordan racing with him to get it. Lee Jordan was a very fast racer.
"Caught it!" Harry yelled. He held up the golden Snitch.
"Okay team, we'll win tomorrow!" I shouted. "Because this is the best ruddy team Hogwarts has ever had!" I was pretending to be Oliver Wood, out old Keeper and captain.
"Shut up, Alicia! You're reminding us of Oliver!" George yelled.
"And that's a bad thing?" I asked.
"Yes. We liked him and all, it's just that we don't exactly like his 'inspiration' speeches," Katie replied.
"Okay, I'll stop then," I said, giving a fake sniffle.
"You're making us feel guilty, Alicia," Fred said.
"Only because she's your girl," Ron told Fred.
"Okay, c'mon team, let's go eat dinner," I yelled, and started up the hill to the school.
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"Okay, everyone remember their new moves?" I asked the team in the locker rooms the next day, before the game.
"Hopefully," Harry replied.
"Let's go then!" I said, ignoring him.
We walked out onto the Quidditch pitch. I saw Ravenclaw team in their blue robes.
"And here's the Gryffindor Quidditch team; Spinnet, Bell, Johnson, Potter, Weasley, Weasley, and Weasley! They have a new Keeper and captain this year. Ron Weasley, a fifth year is their new Keeper and seventh year Alicia Spinnet is their new captain," Lee Jordan said over the loud speaker.
"Spinnet, Davies, shake hands," Madam Hooch, the Quidditch referee said.
I walked to where she was standing. Roger Davies put out his hand. I took it and gave him a smile. Alexander, my brother, taught me that. He said that it makes you feel less threatening. I hope Roger was getting the message.
"When I blow my whistle, three… two… one," She blew her whistle and fifteen brooms, including her own, flew up into the air.
I caught the Quaffle and passed it to Angelina. She flew across the field with it; going higher than all of the Ravenclaws so they couldn't intercept.
I saw the Ravenclaw Beater hit a Bludger my way. I dodged it. Fred came up behind be and hit it toward the Ravenclaw Chaser who was on Angelina's tail. He missed the Bludger and tried to score on Ron. He caught it and passed it to Katie. She caught it and flew the opposite direction. She scored on the Ravenclaw Keeper. I realized I hadn't seen Harry. Then I saw a scarlet steak chasing a small golden ball. He was chasing the Snitch.
"Alicia!" I heard a voice yell. I saw Angelina pass the Quaffle to me. I caught it and raced to the Ravenclaw goal posts. The Keeper wasn't watching the goal post on the right. I threw it –It made it through. Then I heard another voice.
"I got the Snitch!"
It was a male voice, so it had to be Harry.
Then I heard screaming in the stands. I looked over to see about twenty hooded and masked faces.
"BACK TO THE SCHOOL!" Professor McGonagall's voice yelled.
The Ravenclaw and Gryffindor flew back to the school. I flew in the door and looked around for the rest of the team.
"Alicia?" I heard a male voice say. "Alicia?"
I looked around and saw Fred looking around and yelling my name. I ran into his arms. "Fred!"
He kissed me on the forehead and then extended his arms so I was looking at him. "Where's everyone else?"
"I was looking for them," I replied.
He let me go. "Go look for Katie, Angelina, and Harry. I'll go look for my brothers."
"Katie? Angelina? Harry? Where are you guys?" I asked walking through all of the people.
"Alicia! Alicia Spinnet!" A voice yelled. I saw Harry with Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw Seeker.
I ran over to him. "Harry! Where's Katie, Angelina, Ron, and George?"
"I think I saw Katie and Angelina with George and Lee. I don't know where Ron is. Where's Fred?" Harry asked.
"Have you guys seen Caitlin Hill?" Cho asked us. I knew Caitlin from last year. She, Cho, and a lot of Cho's friends had sat behind of us at the third task. I had also met her when I had comforted Cho after Cedric's death.
"She could be with Ron," Harry suggested.
"I don't know. I'll ask Fred if he's seen them," I said as I walked to the back of the room.
"Alicia! I've found them all but Harry!" Fred yelled as he ran back to where I was standing.
"And I found Harry," I replied.
"Alicia!" Ron said as he ran up to me. "Those were Death-Eaters. They're back and they're who killed Hermione!"
"Oh God," I said simply. "Not again. All the Muggle-borns are in trouble."
"You're a Pure-Blood, Alicia," Ron replied.
"Yes, but we all have friends who are Muggle-born, Ron," I told him.
"Cailtin's Muggle-born," Ron said, his eyes going wide. He ran off, most likely looking for her.
"Have you seen Dumbledore?" I asked Fred.
"He ran up to his office to send an owl to your dad," Fred replied. My dad was the new Minister of Magic since Fudge got sacked. Since Fudge was out of office, Fred's dad was an Auror. My dad needed as many as he could now that You-Know-Who was back in power.
"Great," I said. I could still her screaming outside. Yells of drunken Death-Eaters and screams of their victims.
I saw Harry walk up to us. "Have you seen Caitlin anywhere? Cho's getting really worried about her."
"Uh, Ron just went to look for her," Fred replied.
I ran to the window in the corridor. I looked outside to see the men running around, wands up in the air. Next, I heard Ron scream.
"No! Not Caitlin!" He cried.
I saw Professor McGonagall carrying in a girl with long, blonde hair in. She was just frozen, with a look of terror on her face. Avada Kedavra. The killing curse. She was unmarked, and unblemished. It was the curse that killed Hermione Granger, Cedric Diggory, the Potters, and so many more.
"No!" Cho cried running to her best friend. Harry ran over to her too.
Professor McGonagall took her to the hospital wing. This was the second death this year. I felt a stab of pain. Caitlin was so nice. Now she was dead. I felt Fred's hand on my shoulder. Harry had Cho's hand and was walking to the hospital wing. Ron was following.
"I have to go send an owl to my dad," I told Fred and ran to the Gryffindor common room.
"Password?" The Fat Lady asked.
"Bat wings," I said and she swung open. I found some parchment and a quill lying on the title.
'Dear Dad,
There's been another death here. I'm getting worried. What the heck is happening around here?
Love, Alicia'
I sealed the letter and ran down to the Owlery to find my owl. I sent the letter to my dad and ran back down to the Great Hall.
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The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, Second Edition. Chapter V, Part I, Book I, Fred Weasley
Time: Two weeks after Caitlin Hill's death, one week into February
Mr. Spinnet's trip to Hogwarts
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I was helping Alicia with her Ancient Runes homework. It wasn't exactly her best subject.
"Do you get it?" I asked her.
"Not exactly," She began. "Let's stop for tonight. We still have a week."
"Studying for your N.E.W.T.s?" Harry asked.
"I'm not," I replied. "I'm helping Alicia with her homework."
"Oh, I see. Have you guys seen Ron? He hasn't been the same since Caitlin died. He's been spending a lot of time in the library," Harry said.
"Sorry, Harry, I haven't seen him," Alicia replied.
"I'll check the library," Harry said as he walked off.
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"Alicia, why is your dad sitting at the High Table?" I asked her the next morning at breakfast.
"I don't know," Alicia said as she got up. She walked to the High Table and I followed her.
"Dad?" She asked. I was pretty sure that was her dad; he had her eyes, darker brown hair. Sort of a mix between our British accent and his Italian. Very easy to understand. A bit of a darker complexion than Alicia.
"Hello, Alicia, Master Weasley," He joked. I had known Mr. Spinnet for a long time since he and my dad had been friends. Bill and Charlie were about his oldest son, Alexander's, age
"Hey Mr. Spinnet," I replied.
"Hi Dad," Alicia began. "What are you doing here?"
Professor Dumbledore spoke. "He's here visiting the school in spite of the –deaths, lately."
Mr. Spinnet looked pained as he said that. I guessed he was trying to change the subject. "So, I heard that Alicia has been following in Alex's footsteps. Beat the pants off Ravenclaw not to long ago."
Professor Dumbledore tried not to laugh. "Not unusual for Gryffindor, Alexander."
I knew that Alicia's father went by 'Alexander' and her brother went by 'Alex'. I still thought it a bit too formal to call him 'Alexander'.
"How long are you going to be here?" Alicia asked him.
"Oh, I don't know. Until we're sure we have things cleared up and the Ministry gets a life. They're all so worried about He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. If he's going to try to take over the wizarding world, let him do it and put up a good fight along the way! We can't go about worrying about it, can we Albus? We just have to know the right spells and we'll be fine. Why? Are you planning on going into business with Fred instead of going into the Ministry and you don't want to know? By the way Fred, I'd like some of those Ton Tongue Toffees. I'm going to use them on the dunderheads in the office," He replied.
I blushed. My dad must have told him about 'Weasley's Wizard Wheezes', our new business. "I'll get you some, Mr. Spinnet."
"Fred, you don't have to call me 'Mr. Spinnet' just because we're in public and Professor Dumbledore is around," He told me.
"Sorry," I started. "So, planning on Alicia going into the Ministry?"
"Hopefully, either that or playing for England, just like Al," He replied. "She can do anything she wants besides working for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and being a bum."
"And I don't plan on being either of those," Alicia told him.
"Well, it was nice visiting with you two but I must go visit the trophy room. Just have the itch to go see all of the Inter-House and Quidditch Cups. I'd also like very much to see the Tri-Wizard Cup," He said and started towards the trophy room.
"Okay, whatever you do, you can't do anything horrible while my dad is here, Fred," Alicia told me.
"Why? He did worse things than we have?" I asked her.
"You don't want your mum to know, do you?" She asked me.
"Uh, no," I said simply and we walked back to the Gryffindor table.
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We were standing in front of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. The new teacher was a loony. Personally, I thought he was a Death-Eater.
"Come in class," Professor Greg Janet said as he opened the door. "Today we will be studying the three unforgivable curses."
"Professor, we studied those last year," Katie Bell said.
"Yeah," Lee Jordan agreed. "Can I show you them? I mean, I can use them on you. It's no trouble, really."
"Silence!" He barked. He raised his wand and aimed it at Lee.
Lee sat down quickly in his chair. "Sorry sir," He whimpered. He started shaking.
"Turn your books to page three hundred thirty-five. Read it silently," He shouted at us.
We spent the whole class period reading our books. This new professor had begun to scare me.
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A/N –I'm already working on the next chapters. This may have been a little OOC, but it's my fic. Let me explain how the heading to each chapter goes—Chapter- New chapter each time the person's POV changes. Part-Changes every five chapters. Each new installment. Book- Each new year it changes. Harry Potter, The person speaking. Reviews are appreciated!