I do not own Harry Potter.
"95."
"96."
"97."
"98."
"99."
Smash! The snitch that Albus and Fred II had been throwing between them bounced off Fred's fingers and collided with a rose filled vase, shattering the glass and scattering the water and roses over the table it had sat on. Fred's eyes widened as he froze with shock.
"Damn it, Fred! Molly will go mental when she sees that!" Albus cried. He and his younger cousins were staying at The Burrow (as usual) for a couple of weeks before school started again. Already, Molly had made three specific rules crystal clear: 1) No disapparating within the house, 2) No pets without express permission and a signed contract of animal specific rules, 3) Do not break anything. Even when Louis snapped a pencil, Molly went berserk and kicked a garden gnome in the balls.
"It's not my fault; you threw the snitch! Molly won't see it anyway; we can mend it, can't we?" Fred panicked.
"Molly won't see what?" Rose asked as she wandered into the room. She gasped to see the broken rose vase. "Merlin's beard! You just . . ."
"Ssh!"
"But you broke the . . ."
"Ssh!"
"Just look at the . . ."
"Ssh!"
"Molly will freak out!" Rose gasped.
"I know: that's why we're Ssh!ing you!" Fred whispered. "I don't know any magic, can you fix it?"
Rose's face paled, "Hugo would know how to fix it . . ."
"I know, Rose, but he's not here to help. Can't you do reparo or something?" Fred pleaded.
"I can only just repair the glass and Molly will notice the water even if we mop most of it up."
"What was that spell that Hugo always did? You know; the one when he repaired that glass full of sweets?" Albus wondered.
"Sorry, I can't remember. How did it happen anyway?" Rose asked.
"Someone stopped us from reaching a hundred catches." Albus answered, glaring at Fred accusingly. Fred stuck his tongue out at him.
"Boys!" Rose gasped. "You're like bulls to a red flag when there's mention of competition . . ."
"That's it! Red . . . Redintegro!" Albus realised. "I'll try first . . . Redintegro!" Just like he'd hoped, the glass vase repaired itself and sat on the table top. The roses and water, however, remained on the floor. "What about the roses?"
"I've got it!" Rose announced. She pointed her wand at the mess on the floor: "Hincilluc mess!" The roses jumped up into the vase, followed by the water. "There, it looks fine now."
"Well done, Team!" Fred smiled.
Snap! Albus, Rose and Fred fell down onto the sofas, trying to look less inconspicuous. It was Harry, Albus' dad, who had apparated into the room, and having seen the blur of the others fall into seats, he could tell something was up. Albus could see it in his puzzled expression.
"What's going on?" Harry asked. Fred shivered when his gaze moved towards the vase.
"Nothing!" The all answered, immediately.
"We're just . . . Playing music chairs," Fred answered in a panic.
"But there are enough seats in the room for nine: there are three of you," Harry questioned.
"I know," Albus began, "that's why we're all winning."
"But? . . . Oh, who cares? I've got good news!" Harry smiled, rubbing his hands in excitement. "Because you're all getting you're list of school equipment later today, we decided we'd all go to Diagon Alley tomorrow!"
"Yes!" Albus, Fred and Rose cried.
"But that's not all! Because of recent, unfortunate, events, all your parents have agreed that you and all your cousin will receive a pet each!"
Yes! Albus had always wanted a pet, something fluffy and small to pet and play with. But what kind? A rat? A cat or toad? An owl? An owl had always seemed desirable to him. The way they were always obedient and mysterious intrigued him. Yes, an owl would be good. But what kind? What name? That could all be decided at Diagon Alley.
"Yes!" They cried, again.
"I am so getting a cat!" Rose announced.
"A cat? Cats are boring, not to mention their claws and red eyes. I'm getting a boggart!" Fred decided.
"Well, whatever you're getting, we're, leaving tomorrow morning via the Floo Network! I'll see you at tea. And bring money for anything else you want!" Harry smiled and left the room.
Albus slept better that night, after taking a long bath and finishing a plate of roast chicken and Yorkshire puddings. Usually he had nightmares about Ben, ever since their unusual encounter at the funeral. But as he was always awake when he had the dreams, which were more like visualized thoughts, Albus had decided to call them, Thoughtmares, even if the title wasn't as catchy as he'd hoped.
After rolling in bed for two hours before dawn, awake in excitement, Albus took a shower, brushed his teeth, get dressed, shoved a pile of coins into his pockets and headed downstairs for breakfast. Rose and James were already dressed and were enjoying eggs and soldiers. All the other cousins were still in pyjamas, looking shabby and tired. The adults were still in bed, apart from Molly who was making the breakfast.
"Morning, Al!" Molly smiled as she ushered Albus into a seat, "There you go, sit down! Wait one moment; I'll bring your breakfast through now." Molly skipped back into the kitchen.
"Hi," Albus' cousins grunted in unison.
"Hi," he replied.
"So, what are you getting?" Roxanne asked.
"An owl probably. You?"
"I dunno. I'm not a fan of cats, owls are too normal and a toad would be sticky and weird."
"You should get a boggart, like me," Fred, Roxanne's brother, said. "Then, it could be anything you want."
"Yeah, but boggarts look like the thing you're most scared of! Why would I want one of them?" Roxanne asked.
"You can get tame ones as pets, my friend, Poppy, has one," Albus answered.
"Oh, right. Was she the one with brown curly hair from the funeral?"
"Yeah."
"Here we go! Just how you like it!" Molly arrived from the kitchen and placed Albus' breakfast before him. It was a slice of toast, with two rashers of bacon, mushrooms and half a fried tomato.
"Looks nice," Albus smiled, then immediately started biting away at it. Molly grinned in that I knew you'd like it way, and went back into the kitchen to prepare the others' breakfast.
"Morning!" Hermione smiled, waltzing into the room. "I hope you're all looking forward to going to Diagon Alley!"
"Hello, Hermione! Here's your breakfast," said Molly, pushing a plate of sliced fruit and seeded bread into Hermione's hand.
"Aaah, you shouldn't have Mrs Weasley!"
"Don't be modest! Everyone in my family will get a decent breakfast, so gobble it up!" she laughed.
"Thank you! Do you mind if I take Ron's too: we're having breakfast in bed."
"Of course, here you go." Molly passed Hermione a plate covered with beans and sausages and bacon and sauces. "Make sure your hands don't slip off from all that fat."
Hermione laughed and made her way the stairs. "And remember kids," she called, "be ready by ten, the school lists will be here at nine!"
#####
The family was sat around the dining room table, all apart from Percy's wife and children who were spending a week in Venice. Harry, Ron and George each held a Hogwarts sealed letter in their hands, wandering how they would afford the inevitably deer books that would be named inside. Angelina got bored of waiting first, and tugged the letter out of George's hand.
She slit it open with get nail and folded out the letter. She read:
"Hello, First Year Student. I, Professor Minerva McGonagall, and my staff, would like to extend a warm welcome to you and wish you an excellent beginning to life at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In this school we strive, not only to become better magicians, but better people. We hope you will not only enjoy school life, but learn vital lessons of friendship, courage, judgement and kindness. Due to teachers having to cope with nearly 700 students, two teachers have been employed for each subject. Below are the Year 7 specific details on teachers and books.
Astronomy: Professor Sinistra
Charms: Professor F Flitwick
Care of Magical Creatures: Professor L Lovegood
Defence Against the Dark Arts: Professor N McNeice
Herbology: Professor R Scamander
History of Magic: Professor Binns
Potions: Professor R Rabbitheart
Transfiguration: Professor M McGonagall
Here is more information, concerning staff:
Headmistress: Professor M McGonagall
Deputy Head: Professor F Flitwick
Head of Gryffindor: Professor N Longbottom
Head of Hufflepuff: Professor R Scamander
Head of Ravenclaw: Professor F Flitwick
Head of Slytherin: Professor H Slughorn
The following books are needed for the school year . . ."
George lent over Angelina's shoulder. "Doesn't look too expensive."
"I suppose so . . . Look at all those new teachers! What about you Harry?" Angelina asked.
Harry opened the Hogwarts sealed letter. "Well, there's this big rant on making a fresh start, a book list that me and Ginny can sort out . . . Here we are!" Harry grinned at his children, "You have Professor Redgrave for Astronomy, Professor Flitwick for Charms and Hagrid for Magical Creatures. There's Professor Sprout for Herbology, Binns for History of Magic, Slughorn, McGonagall and . . ."
Harry stopped mid sentence. His mouth dried as it hung open like a Venus Fly Trap. Even Ginny's eyes widened when she saw what Harry was looking at.
"What's wrong, Dad?" James asked, beginning to pale.
"Defence Against the Dark Arts . . . Professor Serpentina . . ."
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