Chapter eight
Harry and Susan who were holding hands, Neville and Hannah who were also holding hands entered the great hall. Neville blushed as he kissed Hannah on the cheek before heading to the Gryffindor table, the other three sat at the Hufflepuff table.
Just as they finished eating Hedwig flew in, landed next to Harry and held out her leg. Harry took the letter while Susan gave the owl some meat off her plate.
'She found it, it's cancelled.'
'Good, but who signed if it wasn't your parents?'
'Albus Dumbledore and Molly Weasley, she will find out very soon it was cancelled. But it was signed the year before I met Ron.'
'It was set up somehow,' Hannah said.
'I think that day was a set up, but let's talk up in the puff's rooms or they might overhear.'
Harry held Susan's hand but he glared at Ginny and Ron as he walked out of the hall. Hannah quickly went to speak with Neville before she caught up with Susan and Harry.
The three went to a corner, Harry cast a silencing charm around them, 'The day I was starting here I was dropped off by my aunt and uncle, at Kings Cross station. I couldn't see a sign that said platform nine and three quarters, I even asked the guard, he had no idea naturally, he was a muggle. Well, I was beginning to panic, I had no idea where to go, then I heard a voice say "packed with muggles" Hagrid called my relatives muggles so I knew this woman was a witch. They also had trunks and an owl in a cage, so I knew the kids were heading to Hogwarts. But the strange thing is, she asked what the platform number was, the girl said nine and three quarters.'
'There is only one platform to take the Hogwarts express,' Hannah said.
'That should have been explained in those introductory pamphlets that all muggleborn or muggle raised kids get,' Susan said.
'I never got them, only my letter and my list of school stuff. The woman was Molly Weasley and the girl was Ginny. I had to go up and ask how to get onto the platform. She acted all motherly, then said Ron was starting as well. She explained how to get onto the platform then I got onto the train. I was alone, until Ron came in, we were alone the whole trip.'
'That's strange, the train always crowded,' Hannah said.
'It was set up so you would meet them, they had an excuse for you to go up to them which gave them a chance to speak to you.'
'I was scared, worried and didn't know if I was dreaming or going crazy. So finally I asked Ron about magic and…well, everything. It was set up, we all get told not to attract the muggles attention, yet she said muggles really loudly and asking about the platform wasn't in a whisper either. Why, why would they want me to marry her, I don't like her in anyway and as I said she eats like Ron, which puts me off my food.'
'The Weasley family are old but it's not a noble or ancient house, neither are the Prewett's. They are old and they are one of the poorest magical families around, they have been for a long time. Maybe they thought aligning with the old and ancient house like the Potters would help their family. I know some old families want to be members of the Wizengamot but they don't have enough influence or support. If they aligned with you, Lord Potter, then you could get one of the Weasley's onto the Wizengamot. You being from one of the oldest can suggest new members when a position becomes available, not until your seventeen though.' Susan said.
'It could be that, but the few times I've been to the Burrow I hear how Mr Weasley likes his job even though he doesn't get paid enough. I know Mrs Weasley gets frustrated and anxious about money. Ron and Ginny have both said they wished their dad would get a better job, that they hate being poor. Do members of the Wizengamot get paid?'
'Yes, a lot, they get paid more than my aunt, not like she needs the money though, she enjoys her job.'
'Then it could be that, they might hope I can get Mr Weasley onto the Wizengamot.'
'Um, you will be Lord Potter but I don't really know much about your family, apart from the obvious. So you will have a seat, so you must have some money,' Hannah said.
'I do, well, Amelia told me I have other vaults, the vault I use now is a trust vault. I never knew anything about money, I don't know much about my family. No one has ever told me.'
'The reason I ask is would you think they want you married to Ginny for the dowry you would pay her family. If you are rich then you would give them a lot, if you're wealthy like Susan's family then they would end up pretty well off.'
'Maybe, I never spent a lot of time with Mrs Weasley or Ginny I just know that Ron, Ginny and their mother hated not having money or a decent house. Mr Weasley seems happy with his life though, so do the twins. But it could be one or the other, it might just be the-boy-who-lived. I overheard Ginny talking about me but she never used my name, it was always the-boy-who-lived. I mean I was a baby when all that took place, by the time I'm an adult it's not like I will have some type of reputation like Dumbledore's, so my name really wouldn't help.'
'Harry,' Susan took his hand, 'You're famous, not just here but around the world, that will never change. Like aunt Amelia said, you will get many that want to align with your house, but not just for the money, for your reputation as the only person to survive the killing curse. It's been thirteen years now and you're still known, you always will be.'
'So it could be my name, the Potters or the-boy-who-lived, it could be the Wizengamot or even money. Blimey, do people really use others like that, to get what they want?'
'Yes,' Susan and Hannah said together.
'Susan is not like that, she liked the cute boy, she also has money herself not to mention she is the heir to Bones fortune and Wizengamot seat, her father's seat. Now though, I'm going to have a shower, you two can spend some time alone. Just behave Harry Potter or I will hex you.'
Harry saluted, 'Yes, ma'am.'
Susan and Hannah laughed before one disappeared up to the girls dorm rooms, 'I do see a cute boy and I liked you for the nice if not shy boy I've seen. Yes, it's difficult not to think about the-boy-who-lived, but that's not who I am attracted to.'
'I know, you were never one of those that stared at me all the time, nor when we talk do you stare at my scar. I hate that the most, they talk to me but stare at my scar. It's just a scar, an old cut, it's not that fascinating, I'm sure everyone here has seen it. I'm just like others, I struggle in lessons, I have the odd accident, I end up in detention, a lot, I get frustrated, overwhelmed, angry or sad. Anyway, enough about the-boy-who-lived, we're dating and we seem to get on really well. What if in another couple of years we want to….um, sort of make it official. Is there some official way I'm supposed to do that, like ask your aunt for permission or something?'
'When those books arrive I'll show you which ones are to do with marriages or engagements. It is strange though don't you think Harry, we've only officially began dating today even though you asked me two weeks ago to be your date to go to Hogsmeade. You bought me this beautiful friendship ring and we're sort of talking about the future. We're only fourteen yet it's like we've been together for years.'
'It does seem like that and even though I sort of spluttered and blushed when I asked you, I was able to ask. Maybe it's telling us we're meant to be. Think of this as well, even though it's not nice, but we do sort of understand each other. Both of us lost our families when we were young, before we can even remember them. We're both raised by our aunts, even if mine was horrible. We're both from old families and we'll have responsibilities once we reach the age of seventeen.'
'We do seem to fit and I'm more comfortable with you than I thought I would be, mainly because of how young we are. Anyway, it's getting late and we've had a big day.'
'It has been and I still need to see Professor Sprout about my eyes, so I'll do that first thing in the morning, or right after class,' Harry took Susan's hand and they walked to the stairs leading to the girls dorm. He kissed her sweetly on the lips, gave her a smile then watched as she walked up the stairs to her room. Harry grinned then hurried towards his own room ready for a shower and a good night's sleep. Ever since he became a Hufflepuff he's been feeling great, he even sleeps better now. Even though his parents were in Gryffindor, he knew they would not care that their son was now in Hufflepuff, they would just want him to be happy, and he was, very happy.
