Author's note:
Err ... I'm so, so, SO SORRY for the delate!
Hope
Chapter 2: The Last D.A. meeting
"Okay, now we're going to try and to produce a corporal patronus, one by one," announced Ginny to her friends.
They met at the great hall just before the dinner and headed up to the room of requirement without anyone noticing.
They were supposed to have the last D.A. meeting one hour after dinner, but they wanted to have some practice earlier than that. They spent sometime practicing jinxes and hexes and now it was patronus time.
"Neville, you go," said Ginny.
Didn't need to be told twice, Neville stepped out of the short line and tried to think about happy memories. He moved his wand casting the patronus charm, but other than a weak streak of silver light trying to be shaped into some form, there was nothing more.
"Okay ... Neville, stop," uttered the redhead girl calmly.
"Told you I'm rubbish ..." snorted Neville, his eyes dropping to the floor.
"No, Neville ... listen to me! You need to use your happy memory. I mean ... You have to focus on it like you're living it again, not just remembering it or thinking about it. And, when you cast the charm, you need to think about it as the key that's going to take you there. As the only thing that's going to provide it again. Come on, give it another try," expounded Ginny making as clear as she could. "Close your eyes if it helps."
Neville nodded and closed his eyes, his mind darting to his favourite happy memory, him dancing with Ginny and having a great time at the yule ball. His heartthrobs started to rise higher when he felt the loud music enveloping his senses. The sound of Ginny's laughs when they danced together, the scent of the delicious stacks of food gathered on every round table, decoration of the ceiling: he never saw it that beautiful before with different hundreds flashes of colored lights dancing above their heads, and finally, the funny feeling he got in his stomach when he spotted Luna Lovegood talking with another Ravenclaw girl, she looked stunning in her navy blue dress and he just stood there captivated and dumbfounded staring at her fascinating beauty. Since when she became so beautiful? His mind screamed.
And, not ever wanting Luna's image to be taken away, he cast the patronus charm. His eyes still closed, a strong silver light came roaring off the top of his wand. The girls' eyes widened with surprised cheer. Luna started to bounce up and down when a perfectly corporal badger of silver light started to jump here and there around Neville. The boy flicked his eyes open and stared in clear astonishment at the badger moving freely around the room.
The image of memory-Luna never leaving his mind, he flushed heatedly when his eyes met hers and smiled shyly at her delight.
"Neville, that's great ... I mean, wow!" exclaimed Misha smugly.
"Well, I think I get it now ... thanks to Ginny," stuttered Neville, his ears turning even more pink.
"Oh, it's nothing, Nev. Luna, it's your turn," smiled Ginny broadly.
"Okay," affirmed the blond witch.
In a strangely slower motion, Luna repeated what was Neville just doing seconds ago. In a few moments, a cute shiny hare was jumping up and down. It looked so real except that it was made by silver light.
"Luna!" growled Ginny, her brown eyes showing a plain bewilderment. "You said your patronus needed help? I don't understand!"
"No I never said that!" stated Luna with a strong self-confidence. "Perhaps your mind made you hear it?"
"But—" Ginny tried to reply, but Luna carried on.
"I said I wanted to go earlier for the meeting with you to practice and to see your patronus because Harry said it was the best one," explained Luna.
"Oh ..." whispered Ginny.
"I just wanted to see your patronus closely because I never actually noticed how perfect it is before. I mean, I didn't pay attention, I felt curious in fact ..." pointed in the blond girl.
"Okay, I will do it, but not before Misha casts hers. Come on, Misha!" said Ginny.
"But my patronus is good," objected Misha, "I mostly need help with the Reductor curse."
"Okay, I'm going to cast my patronus and then we will move on to that one."
Ginny's mind drifted quickly to her best memory. Harry holding her hand and telling her that everything is okay. The memory didn't involve being in the Chamber of Secrets, nor the feeling of shame that was supposed to be there. No, none of it was there. All the memory gave her was the feeling of relief and safeness that enveloped her heart when she was looking at Harry's face which radiated with concern.
She cast the patronus charm and the end of her wand instantly erupted with blinding silver light taking the shape of a strong built horse in an eye-blink. The horse kept running around the room in an extremely fast and speedy pace, but then something strange happened. The horse stopped suddenly and started struggling and wrestling awkwardly as though it was fighting against a hard suffocation.
It was beginning to fade away and Ginny tried her bests to maintain control on it by energising the good feelings and looking into memory-Harry's green eyes, but it was in vain.
Just as the horse was about to completely vanish, the doors to the room of requirement burst open and Harry, the real Harry, came through it. The patronus horse almost immediately came back to life and started running around the room, even faster than before.
Ginny gave her wand a soft flick and the horse disappeared.
Neville, Luna and Misha looked at the redhead witch with stunned faces. Luna, uncertainly, seemed to be on the edge of saying something that would be awfully embarrassing, Ginny was sure, but then she kept it to herself. Ginny absentmindedly thanked God for that.
"Er, you guys are here," remarked Harry, his eyes still focused on the place where the patronus was not even a split of second ago, but too fast for his liking vanished.
"We, er ... we wanted to practice for a bit so we came earlier," said Neville.
"Well, that's great," smiled Harry, "That patronus horse, to whom is it?"
Ginny's eyes widened in surprise. Hadn't he said that my bloody patronus was the best one? Or was that just ...
She moved her gaze to Luna and Neville, eyeing them quizzically.
"It's Ginny's. And Harry, last time you said it was the best one including yours." blurted out Misha in a slightly surprised tone as well.
"Oh, yeah ... of course," stammered Harry, "That patronus could scare away hundreds of dementors. Good job, Ginny!"
Don't you dare flush! Ordered Ginny pleadingly, but whether she liked it or not, she felt the rosy burning washing all over her cheeks.
Harry walked to one corner of the room and waited for the rest of the D.A. members to join in. It felt like it was still quite early for dinner to end up, so Ginny assumed maybe Harry came up here seeking some privacy to sort out what he was going to do for their last meeting. She couldn't help but feel a little guilty at ruining his arrangements and blew out a deep sigh. She turned back to face her friends intending to resume their practice, but she soon found herself frowning at the almost identical look of annoying pity clear enough in each pair of their eyes.
"What is this supposed to mean?" asked Ginny, her frown getting seriously dangerous.
"what?" replied the small group almost in unison, the pity in their eyes instantly flying out of the window and replaced by indifference, fear and seriousness.
"Never mind, let's carry on with the Reductor curse," said the red-haired girl, narrowing her eyes at them. "Come on Misha, you first."
Ginny summoned the magically put together death-eater and positioned it in the middle of the room.
Taking a deep breath, Misha stepped out from between Neville and Luna and faced it.
"Reducto!" cried the dark-haired witch in a slightly high tone. The fake death-eater barely moved at all.
"Misha, how exactly are you going to wreck the damned thing if you clearly don't want to?" asked Ginny softly after a long minute of watching Misha's attempts at destroying the articulated thing.
"Er, I don't know ... I—" murmured the blue-eyed witch.
"Well, you have to know," put in Ginny interrupting her, "You have to want to cause it. If not much a bit of harm ... it wouldn't work any other way."
"Okay," said Misha attempting to try again.
The feeling of observing was back again and it drove the black-haired boy mad. Closing his eyes, he tried to busy himself with thinking about his upcoming Occlumency session with Snape and listening to Ginny's instructions as though he was the one having difficulties with the Reductor curse and needed guidance. He thought she was really good at helping her friend it caused him to feel proud somehow. Despite the fact that the something-observing feeling was really annoying, it was inexplicably relaxing to be proud of someone you taught.
This time Misha managed to lightly affect the fake death-eater that gave an almost considerable movement backward.
"Misha, who's your most hated person on the face of the Earth?" questioned Ginny.
"Wha— ... what's that sup—, okay, okay ... Umbitch, I suppose?" answered Misha incredulously.
"I should have known," chuckled the redhead, "You need to imagine, no ... not just imagine, you need to believe that by hurting the little one, (she pointed her index at the fake death-eater) you're hurting Umbitch," she posed for a split of second, and then added, "As though destroying her favourite tea-set and making her cry over it like a baby."
Harry's mouth dropped open upon hearing this and he flicked his eyes open to watch the smirk on Ginny's face. He felt strangely curious about what was going to happen and continued to watch the scene intently.
Grinning, Misha reached her arm out again and cast the Reductor curse fiercely. The fake death-eater's arm smashed off his body and went flying to the floor.
"I think you're getting it," commented Neville enthusiastically. "My turn! I never found any problems with destroying things ... I do it without intending to, actually."
He pointed his wand at the automatically-repaired thing.
If you were standing close to him like Ginny was, you would surely doubt the effect that can be done with the way Neville said the curse and if it would even work because he whispered it almost just to himself to hear. But the impact was surprisingly disastrous. The curse barged into the fake death-eater right into the middle splitting it to two parts.
Ginny, Misha, Luna and even Harry who kept watching everything from distance, stood there their eyes wide with flabbergast.
Before anyone could have the chance to even say something, Luna was soon casting the curse fervently at the already repaired fake death-eater. Its arms and legs came apart, instantly dislocated and five heavy parts fell to the floor causing a loud crush.
Luna turned her head to the redhead witch and shouted excitedly for her to take her turn. Ginny nodded feeling the rush of eagerness wash all over her body, warming up her blood.
Harry, for unknown reasons, shifted his weight from one foot to the other and looked at the redhead expectantly.
Umbridge, the DADA professor, was one of Ginny's most hated people in the world. That was indisputable, and she usually used this feeling to cast the Reductor curse as did Misha a while ago. But what Ginny imagined Cho Chang had probably done with Harry -her own Harry- when they were dating (Ginny felt unbelievably relieved for finally being able to say "were"), made her change her mind. Well, it looks like it's Cho bloody Chang's turn to cry like a baby! Murmured Ginny under her fast breath.
"REDUCTO!" Shrieked Ginny, her voice roaring with all its strength and her wand flicking in the convenient movement.
Firstly, a wide frightening hole pierced right into the middle of the fake death-eater's chest. Secondly, the hole got wider and wider and other holes were starting to bore all over its body growing equally wider as well. Finally, and almost in heartbeat, the remaining form of the fake death-eater exploded with a strange raucous sound. It was just crushed to dark powder that piled up on the floor.
Wow, thought Harry.
Everyone in the room of requirement was looking at Ginny with a seriously wide-eyed and open-mouthed shocked expressions that featured their bewilderment.
"You imagined a highly valuable pink tea-set, right?" asked Luna. Ginny nodded, not wanting to tell her what she really imagined.
"Just remind me to never, ever, get you angry or upset with me, okay?" said Misha, still astonished.
Neville looked as though he will never recover from his shock.
The brown-eyed witch just stood there barely holding her tongue from snarling at them, looking absolutely charming, as thought Harry who was watching the stack of powder difficultly repairing itself, the look of absolute amazement and awe still lingering in his green eyes. Was that even possible? He asked himself. He knew Ginny's reflexes with the disarming charm and considerable power with the producing of a corporal patronus, but this?
She must really hate Umbridge, I couldn't blame her for that, could I? thought Harry.
He started to walk in Ginny's direction suddenly, not even knowing what he was going to say, but before he could reach her the door burst open and a group of a Ravenclaw D.A. members walked in greeting everyone. Harry stood right in the middle of the wide room, that stupid feeling of something observing blinding his vision once again. It was strange, but he thought that he lost it while watching Ginny and her friends casting the Reductor curse. Cursing under his breath, he retreaded back to his spot, absentmindedly deciding that he will talk to Ginny later.
Ron and Hermione soon walked in bickering as usual over something probably silly, making Ron's hair even redder and Hermione's more bushy. They were shortly followed by the rest of the D.A. members. Harry smiled and joined his best friends, sighing.
"What's up?" asked the black-haired wizard casually, the observing feeling never leaving him alone.
"Oh, nothing ... Ron was just Cuddley-Connoning, again." answered the bushy-haired witch as if it was the most obvious thing. Ron just snorted.
Harry announcing that this meeting was going to be the last one, divided the D.A. members into two groups, attackers and receivers. The attackers practiced the different learned jinxes and hexes, charms and simple curses on the receivers and then they would switch their positions to be receivers and so it went for three or four rounds.
Harry was making sure to watch Ginny closely. The witch really had a great powerful abilities, and to be honest, maybe even him hadn't got it's half. It was true that he was the best at some particular points, but Ginny seemed to hold an equal control on almost everything.
Ginny was fairly aware of Harry watching her intently and, despite the fact that she was struggling with trying not to faint, she concentrated her focus well enough on her work in the hopes of maybe she finally got his attention and made him notice her, and only her ... not just Ron's little baby sister, for a change.
Harry, all of a sudden, noticed that the nagging feeling of observing that used to annoy him wasn't there anymore. He wondered about the reason of its sudden and unexpected comes and goes for a moment. However, he smiled in relief and just continued to look at Ginny, his eyes admiring every talented move of her wand with spells and counter-attacks.
The D.A. members later, were put into a long line and were one by one attacking the fake death-eater with the Reductor and casting their patronus charm. Ginny, just like a while ago, was obviously taking no mercy on the poor thing and her patronus was clearly the strongest of all of theirs. She was clearly having no problem making it the best one, but unknowingly to Harry, Ginny's problem was exactly with her patronus and it wasn't even close to be good, let alone best. At least that what she along with Luna, Neville and Misha, now thought. Although each one of the last three had a strong feeling that Ginny's memory for conjuring the patronus has a definitely something to do with Harry, they preferred to keep this conclusion just to themselves for their own benefit ... and safety.
Harry was still watching Ginny just after she flicked her wand vanishing the patronus and the intense look of non-satisfaction didn't go missing by him. He noticed it hanging in his best friend's little sister's eyes just as he remarked the inexplicably almost identical weird look the three of her friends were shouting at her. Therefore, and just out of the blue, his legs yet again, started to move walking determinedly in order to reach the redhead girl.
Stop! What are you doing? Come back! Harry screamed helplessly to his feet, looking at the border of his shoes in a begging way.
"Okay, have any of you done something wrong?" asked Neville, his eyes focused on something just behind Ginny's and Misha's backs. The three girls shake their heads with no, respectively. "I know, but Harry usually go check on those having some kind of problems ... (they nodded) well, he's heading toward us!"
Ginny's neck turned around automatically and to her upper surprise Harry was indeed closing the few steps between them in seconds. Ginny's eyes were definitely playing tricks with her because Harry's cheeks flashed slightly as he stood just a step opposite her. He looked as if struggling with trying to put what was on the tip of his tongue into words.
"Er, I— couldyoustayforasecond?" stuttered the boy finally.
Ginny was absolutely going to faint. Did he just said what I think he'd just said? Thought Ginny folding her arms as though trying to stop her heart from stomping out of her ribcage.
Hoping against hope that she wouldn't be just imagining what's happening, or worse, having just another dream after which she was going to wake up soon, Ginny asked in a weak voice much to her extreme dislike, "What again? I didn't quite catch that."
"I was wondering, if we could have a chat together (Ginny's eyes grew even wider, they started to hurt) about your ... er— about your patronus?" stated Harry more clearly.
Patron— WHAT? screamed Ginny's insides.
It wasn't her imagination, not even a random dream, it was worse. It was nothing, as usual.
"Sure," said Ginny, not able to hide her disappointment.
"Er ... Great, just—" said Harry smiling cheerfully, he posed to look in the direction of Ron and Hermione waiting by the door and then, added, "Just wait for me ..."
Without even waiting for her reply, he rushed to his best friends.
No problem, Harry ... No problem at all, it's not a big deal ... I can do that, it's probably the same bloody only thing I have done done since ... well, since forever, actually! Muttered the redhead under her breath bitterly.
She watched him mending his pace toward her brother and Hermione and turned back to her own friends mumbling something about seeing them later. They nodded, Misha looked a bit worried, but nevertheless started to walk following Neville and Luna reluctantly towards the doors. Ginny adjusted herself to the only bench the room managed to provide and waited.
Harry reached his best friends after being annoyingly interrupted by Nigel who wanted to wish him a good night sleep.
"Guys, I will see you after a while in the common room," stated Harry.
"Is everything okay with Ginny?" asked Hermione looking at the redhead intently.
Ron, just noticing that his sister was still in the room when Hermione mentioned her name, put in, "What's wrong? Is she upset about someth—"
Harry interrupted him impatiently, "She is alright, Ron. I just wanted to talk to her about her patronus ... "
"why? What's wrong with he—" Ron tried to ask, but was soon cut off by Hermione this time.
"You're asking too much, Ron," she stated.
"But she's my bloody sis—" Ron was really getting fed up with being interrupted.
"I'm sure it's nothing serious," said Hermione, "Right Harry?"
"Yes, of course. Look Ron, I promise I will tell you everything later, okay?" answered Harry, sighing.
Ron nodded and left with the bushy-haired witch.
Harry turned around and felt extremely nervous almost instantly. The once full of students room was now uncomfortably deserted save for Ginny and himself. He slowly and hesitantly closed the distance between them and sat next to her on the bench.
Ginny flinched and stood up abruptly. It was too much for her take it in all of a sudden. Harry looked at her with a puzzled expression written all over his face.
"Look Harry, I have ... Er— I have some homework to do, so can we ... " said Ginny fully aware of her miserable, not even convincing lie.
Homework? Exclaimed the familiar voice inside her head. It's holiday time for Merlin's sake ... And, even so, it's not like you really have stacks of homework due to after it! Harry on the other hand is a fifth year student and he most certainly could use this wasted time talking to you in revising for his bloody O.W.L.s!
I know, maybe I shou— Ginny tried to argue back.
He's got O.W.L.s for Godness's sake ... O.W.L.s! What's stupid homework to that? Interrupted the voice of her mind. It was clearly angry and for inexplicable reasons it made her lightly jump thinking Misha was just beside her.
A painful face-palm describing his feeling, the black-haired boy gave Ginny a bleary look that was mixed with obvious hurt.
Look at what you did now! Misha's familiar voice was in her head again. You should feel ashamed!
Why would I feel ashamed ... I'm the one who is entirely unprepared for this ... for this— Ginny searched the words.
For this little private chat with Harry. By private I mean, completely alone with him? Suggested her mind's voice that the more it talked the more it sounded exactly like Misha's.
Just then Ginny noticed that she was actually alone with Harry in the room of requirement of all places ... Well, yes. The redhead witch agreed heartily.
If there was something Ginny hated more than Cho and Umbridge, it was the feeling of weakness that intended to control her at that very moment. She wasn't weak and that's for absolutely sure. Looking weak wasn't for her. Even thinking for a split second she was a bit weak wasn't for her. Determinedly deciding that she wasn't giving Harry Potter of all people a testament of being haunted by weakness any time soon, she sighed and returned to her first position on the bench, leaving a considerable security distance between them just in case.
In case of what? Misha's voice demanded urgently.
Shut up! Growled Ginny just for the voice.
"Sorry, but I thought you said my patronus was the best one?" added Ginny after a while, in a pressed impatient and uncaring tone.
Harry looked a bit relieved by this and said, "Yes, it surely is ... I was just wondering about the reason of why you seemed unsatisfied with it ... you looked as if there was something off?"
"Well, maybe because your guess is right. There is something wrong about it ... " clarified the witch.
"I don't understand, it's perfect—" objected Harry.
"It looks perfect, but it's not," pointed out Ginny. "Look Harry, can we discuss this another time? I just don't feel like discussing it right now ... I'm so tired and ..."
Yeah, you can lie to him, but you most certainly can't lie to me! Shouted the stupid voice of Misha.
It's not like that ... protested Ginny.
"I'm hungry, I haven't had dinner yet." added Ginny to Harry.
Just the more reasons for you to run away! Sid the Misha inside Ginny's head.
Stop! I'm going to faint, I mean really faint! Snarled Giny, just to the stupid voice of her friend.
"Oh, sorry ... I didn't know," said Harry his face breaking into a heart-breaking smile. Ginny thanked God for being in a sitting position. Harry then added, remembering that Neville actually told him that they skipped dinner to practice, "I mean I didn't pay attention— Nevermind, we will talk another time then. How about tomorrow? After lunch?"
Oh, sweet Merlin's cloak ... does this mean? Thought Ginny, her heart on the edge of exploding from the overdoses of Harry's wide mind-numbing smiles.
It doesn't mean anything silly, but look at the bright side. You're going to be wholly prepared and— said Misha's voice excitedly.
Oh, I Thought you didn't want me to run away? You're so absurd sometimes! Interrupted Ginny.
Whatever, snapped head-Misha.
"Yeah, sure." smiled Ginny softly.
"Okay, let's head back to the common room," said Harry rising up to his feet and starting to walk for the door.
Ginny followed him silently, but in her mind she was watching herself bouncing the way up and down in extreme joy exactly as Luna does all the time.
Get a grip on yourself, you're going to awfully uncover us from smiling so widely, so stupidly and flashing so badly, so brightly ... alarmed another familiar voice that wasn't Misha's. It sounded like— Ginny really didn't want Hermione, of all people inside her head. Head-Misha was an unsupportable thing. Head-Misha along with head-Hermione was simply a disaster.
Sorry, but who are you? Asked Ginny, feigning innocence.
I think that you already know the answer to that question, Ginny. Answered the voice that sounded definitely like Hermione's.
I actually don't? Said Ginny, imagining herself rolling her eyes at Hermione.
I'm the voice of reason, said Head-Hermione.
Reason? I should have seen that one coming ... commented the redhead really rolling her eyes this time.
Nice to hear you! Said the Hermione's voice as though it was extending its hand (if that was even possible) and waiting for Ginny to shake it.
Finding this quite humorous, Ginny laughed feebly and replied, nice to hear you too!
"Did you say something?" asked Harry turning to look at her face.
"Huh ..."
Huh? This was a key sentence to restart a new conversation and, all you manage to say is, Huh? The boy is obviously trying his hardest to start another chat with you and, all you could say is, Huh? You are foolish. F.O.O.L.I.S.H. Foolish! roared Misha's raucous voice.
All right, all right ... I'm a shame on you. I get it. Murmured Ginny secretly.
Fix this! Shouted Head-Misha angrily.
"Er ... maybe it was my stomach, sorry," uttered Ginny.
I QUIT, snarled head-Misha helplessly.
They were making their way down the first round of staircases when Ginny put in the making-Harry-Potter's-face-red-eyes-water-and-brea the-difficult-with-uncontrollable-laughter comment.
He looked on the utmost edge of dying from laughing because he started to shake his arms and head violently, collapsing over the middle of the moving staircase. He looked cute. So cute, actually. And, Ginny's knees went jelly. He was now stuttering some incoherent phrases that made him look even more handsome and made the redhead lose control over her own legs and collapse next to him. She felt him starting to hold himself together and slowly regain composure over his breath. A few seconds later, his laughter gradually decreased, then he was completely under control again. He lifted his eyes amazingly and looked at her, but before he could have the chance to say anything ...
"What? I'm so bloody hungry ... I'm a Weasley, you know," exclaimed the redhead witch smirking for she was almost sure she knew what was going to happen next.
Harry exploded with a second round of laughter awfully more dreadful than the first one.
When he managed to difficultly gain control over himself again, Ginny was already lost in one of her mad hyperventilating fantasies that involved her, Harry and some mind-numbing snogging session.
"That was ... I— I never, ever ... ever, laughed like this before. Never, that was ... it was so bloody hilarious, Ginny," stated Harry, still trying to take study breathes in and out.
Ginny was just about to jump on him then and there, when head-Hermione's voice screamed stopping her suddenly, What the hell were you going to do, just now?!
Huh, who— what? Said Ginny looking intensely from Harry's green eyes to his so appealing lips. She was so terribly lost and was about to do something she will most certainly be really eating her fingers from regretting it.
OI, WAKE UP! bellowed Hermione's voice inside Ginny's head bringing her to sanity.
Oh, dear God! She murmured to herself and stood up abruptly.
"Oh, I'm not sure if that's really funny ... Maybe You-Know-Who would be extremely disappointed for knowing that some stupid fourth year girl managed to almost kill the Boy-who-Lived just by telling him a random joke, you know he will most certainly want to get revenge and make me his new bloody target," said Ginny already heading for the portrait of the Fat lady. She stopped dead in her tracks, her limbs went frozen ice and she slowly started to turn around cursing herself for her upper stupidity and wondering how Harry's reaction would be like. She had never seen how he responded to this kind of jokes. So she was assuming the worst.
I told you, you are foolish! Said HeadMisha angrily.
I definitely agree this time, replied Ginny ashamedly.
When she gathered the courage to open her eyes, she expected to see that Harry was gone leaving her to her own misery, but what she absolutely didn't expect was to see him fighting against a yet another round of uncontrollable laughter. He was struggling so badly that he was lying face-down all over the staircase, his shoulders shaking and his right hand occasionally hitting the tread violently.
Taking a long deep breathe, the redhead witch smiled warmly. When both of them regained control -Harry over his laughter and Ginny over her ... well, you know, it was already curfew-hour and they walked through the portrait hole into the slightly crowded common room.