Chapter 8
The rest of the fall term seemed to go by on a whim. Just after making the team, it was Hermione's birthday. When she awoke, she excitedly headed down the stairs to the common room, where Harry was waiting for her. He greeted her with a hug and unwittingly with a kiss on the forehead. I emphasize that he unwittingly did it.
"Happy Birthday," he whispered.
"Thanks," she replied. "Where's Ron?"
"Oh, he'll be along in a few minutes," he replied as they headed down to breakfast.
By the time they got to the Great Hall, Ron was right behind them and he eagerly sat down to ingest yet another meal.
When Snape saw Harry and Hermione walking together, he couldn't help but recall his first year of Hogwarts and the times he and Lily had spent together. In fact, he was so lost in memory, he couldn't even think of a way to penalize Harry.
Meanwhile, at the Gryffindor table, while Harry and Hermione were gathering their meal, Harry was gathering some strawberry muffins, as he knew they were Hermione's favorite pastry. The school day seemed to go by in minutes. Hermione had all her favorite classes, including charms and transfiguration, and no potions, so Snape wouldn't have to make her angry on her birthday.
After the feast that night, Harry held Hermione's birthday party in the Gryffindor common room. Since she had her favorite pastries with breakfast, it was only fair that she'd have her favorite cake, Lily's strawberry cake, brought all the way from Liverpool just for the occasion.
Just before the best part of the party happened, Hermione opened her presents. The first was from her roommates, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil, who had given her some hair products, such as brushes, clips, shampoos and conditioners, all pink and/or glittery. It was when she opened them that she decided throwing up would be a pleasurable experience. She made a note to herself to remove all the glitter and turn everything from pink to blue, which was her real favorite color. She felt relieved when she opened Harry's gift, which was a first-edition copy of her favorite book, Hogwarts, a History. She then hugged Harry for dear life for almost a minute before she let go.
The best moment of the party happened when Harry, Ron, Fred, and George broke out their instruments and started playing. Some of the children had heard this type of guitar and drum sound from a group called The Weird Sisters, but for the first time, they were hearing it in a more fun, polished, optimistic way.
Hermione's birthday party was just the beginning for them. Professor Dumbledore had them scheduled to play at the Halloween feast as well. One day, while the boys were on their way to practice, Snape caught them carrying their instruments through the halls.
"What is all this?" He demanded.
"Doesn't look like anything we'd allow here at Hogwarts, now does it, Mr. Potter," he spat before anyone could answer.
"I'll be taking them, and fifty points from Gryffindor for…"
But before he could finish, he heard an alarm blaring from inside his cloak. I forgot to mention that before she left the school that other day, Lily had installed a special alarm inside Snape's robes. Every time he badmouthed Harry, she'd hear it through that device and give Snape a nice talking to. She never lost hope that Snape would let go of his disappointment for life and be her best friend again.
This whole scene didn't go unnoticed, though. Draco Malfoy, who made it practically a hobby to spy on Harry to try and get him in trouble, had seen this and saw it as the perfect plan, after trying to get him expelled over the whole broomstick moment.
By the time the Halloween feast had come around, the whole school was to hear the boys' music and little did anyone realize that it could lead to the biggest thing to ever hit the Wizarding World… in time, that is. But that wasn't the only thing everyone was talking about. By the time they were to start performing, Draco Malfoy, his father Lucius Malfoy, and the World's Biggest Windbag Cornelius Fudge entered the Great Hall and tried to break up the whole show.
"See what I did, Potter?" Draco taunted.
"Now Draco," Lucius scolded "Let the adults handle this. Minister, do the honors?"
"Mr. Potter, Messers Weasley, this is a riot among underage wizards doing things they are not supposed to do. I demand that you stop this at once," He spat, while pompously sticking his nose and pointer finger in the air.
This is where things really got interesting. I knew that Fudge knew that there were no rules against this at all and he only eagerly agreed to do this because of the handsome payment that Lucius offered him.
It was time for more wedgies, and this time, they weren't caused by careless accidents. The three of them were grabbed by their pants, lifted into the air, and hung to the point where they fell out of their pants and their underwear was showing. As it turned out, all three of them wore the same kind; white with pink hearts all over.
As everyone in the Great Hall, excluding Snape, were laughing at their misfortune, they were thrown out of the Great Hall as to not disturb the concert again. Before the boys could continue, however, Snape angrily stormed up to the stage.
"Potter, I don't know what sort of ploy you have up your sleeve, but I'm going to…"
"Now Severus, this is not Mr. Potter's doing," Dumbledore interrupted.
It was by this time that Dumbledore seemed to sense something strange in the air, and my presence about to be discovered.
"You're right!" My voice boomed.
Some people looked up in awe, others cowered like pussy pansies.
"It's all my doing!" I continued.
"Who are you?" Dumbledore questioned.
"I'll not tell you my name, but I'm no one to be trifled with," I replied. "So know this, I'm the one who knows all and sees all, and makes it all happen."
"So it's because of you that the Dark Lord is gone, and that the Wizarding World lives in peace," Hermione realized.
"Precisely," I replied. "So if there's anyone out there I don't like, I'll just get rid of him altogether."
Normally, I think you'd expect everyone to fear someone like me after revealing that little secret. Obviously, it was a complete revelation to Dumbledore. But, the kids didn't mind, because now they could listen to their music without any interruptions.
Soon enough, the first Quidditch match of the Season had come around, obviously being Slytherin vs. Gryffindor. Lily, James, Sirius, Remus, and Sarah, of course, had to attend, only this time, Sarah couldn't do her usual teasing. Without dark threats roaming the castle, Harry didn't have to worry about anyone jinxing his broom, so he was able to catch the snitch almost immediately when he had the chance.
To celebrate Gryffindor's victory, a party was held in the Gryffindor common room, with yet another performance by this little group.
Even sooner, Christmastime had come around and the little group was to play at the Potter Christmas Party. The three friends were riding the Hogwarts Express excitedly, until Malfoy showed up with his goons, having not forgotten his abject humiliation.
"You think you can make a fool of me, do you, Potter?" Malfoy spat. "Well, my father and the Minister of Magic haven't forgotten about you, your riff-raffs and mudbloods, and when we're through with you, we'll…"
But before he could finish, he felt something changing on him. All of a sudden, his hair was growing longer and curlier and his sleek black robes were replaced by a pink pastel baby doll dress.
"My father will hear about this too, Potter!" he cried before Crabbe and Goyle carried him away, bridal-style towards a compartment where two other Slytherin girls, Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bullstrode, were looking for a doll.
"Good on the narrator that time," Ron remarked.
"Um, that was me," Harry 'corrected'.
"What?!" Hermione questioned.
"Just kidding," Harry reassured.
Of course, I would have done that. After all, Harry was such a good boy. By the time they'd reached King's Cross Station, Lily, James, Sirius, Remus, and Sarah were all waiting for them, along with the Tonks family, who I mentioned earlier. James, Sirius, Remus, and Ted all ruffled Harry's hair, while Lily, Sarah, and Andromeda all greeted him with hugs and kisses. Harry was especially excited to see Dora, his big sister in all but blood.
"Dora," he cried as he dashed for her.
"Hey, baby brother," she giggled as she hugged him for dear life, plastering his forehead with a big kiss.
"Dora, I'm not a baby anymore," Harry complained, "I'm in my first year at Hogwarts."
"So, it doesn't matter what Dumbledore says," She retorted tomboyishly "You're always going to be my baby brother. Even when you take Hermione on your first date."
Sarah couldn't help but giggle at the last part.
The Tonks were staying at the Potter house for Christmas, along with the Grangers, and the Weasleys. While the adults got the tree and decorations ready, the kids were all set up with Fred, George, and Percy in their own rooms, Ginny in Sarah's bedroom, and Ron and Hermione in Harry's bedroom. Dora was also set up in there, as she was whenever she stayed at the Potters' in the past.
The next day was spent doing some last minute shopping in Diagon Alley just before Christmas Eve. When the big morning came, Harry and Ron were given a rather rude awakening from the girls. Sarah gave Harry her trademark tickle fight while Ginny gave it to Ron. Hermione and Dora were plastering his face with kisses to try and wake him up. Sure enough his eyes shot open.
"Come on, Sleeping Beauty. It's Christmas!" Dora cried.
Hermione helped Harry up and the children raced down the stairs towards the tree. Sarah unwrapped one toy unicorn after another to add to the collection that filled her bedroom. Ron opened mounds of apparel merchandise from his favorite quidditch team, the Chudley Cannons, along with some new drumsticks. Fred and George unwrapped gift baskets from their favorite shop, Zonko's, along with some extra guitar picks. Ginny unwrapped some apparel merchandise from her favorite team, the Holyhead Harpies, as well as a talking Harry Potter doll. Apparently the word had gotten out and sure enough, Potter merchandise begun to fill every store.
Hermione unwrapped several books she wanted to get from Flourish and Blott's, but was unable to get. She couldn't help but notice that they each had a card which read,
Dear Hermione,
I haven't forgotten.
Love,
Harry.
Hermione couldn't help but hug and kiss Harry mercilessly for that. Everyone else seemed to be thinking,
"Wedding bells are going to chime."
Before Harry unwrapped his present, he found a card which read,
Your Father left this in my possession before your disappearance. In light of recent events, it should be returned to you. I know you won't have much use for it, but your father would want you to have it.
Use it well.
And just what do you think he unwrapped?
Inside the packaging was a familiar silvery cloak. James, Sirius, and Remus were beyond ecstatic about this.
"I never thought I'd see this old thing again," James laughed.
"Neither did I," Lily grumbled.
"Oh, you," James teased.
James explained to Harry that passing down that cloak was a family tradition and it gave Harry an idea. Later that night, when the Christmas party begun, the stage was set up for the band to play. Everyone heard footsteps, but couldn't see who was making them. Lily, though, wasn't so convinced.
By the time they reached the stage, the boys had unsurprisingly removed the invisibility cloak as the audience cheered and applauded while Lily smiled and shook her head. By the time the boys played their second song, the house was roaring with excitement, especially from the girls. Sarah, of course, took the opportunity to make her usual jokes.
Harry was having such a good time, he had yet to realize that things would start to get hard when he returned to Hogwarts. When he does, he'll see where some of the professors are coming from, and maybe even bring light back to their dark times. If he does, maybe it can be just the thing the Wizarding World needed all along.
