Now where were we…OH YES, making Ginny squirm *evil grin*
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter obviously. If I did then Hermione and Ginny would be a couple, and Harry and Ron would be snogging each other senseless and Luna and Neville would be finding condolence in each other ;) . Alas this is not true so thus we have to content ourselves with the what ifs…
Walking up the familiar path to the glowing shadow of Hogwarts flanked on either side by Snape and Professor McGonagall, I feel like I'm headed toward the hangman's noose. Well actually since I'm a witch I guess the more appropriate form of execution would burning at the stake. Yes must be politically correct when contemplating ones own death penalty. Dead man...eh women walking. I wonder if I get a last request of a final cigarette or something. Not that I smoke but I mean I like the symbolism of it. Then again if I'm going to die anyway…I mean I think in that case the giant flamey inferno is going to kill me before the cancer ever could…. hehe flamey inferno. This odd and rather morbidly humorous train of thought is rudely interrupted by the loud thump and clang as the enormous front doors of Hogwarts close behind our little party. Why do I suddenly feel that I have literally entered a fate worse then death?
"Well Mrs. Weasley, it would appear that the time has come for you to make your grand entrance. I'm sure you will rivet the entire hall with your harrowing tale of crazed cats and plummeting luggage. And I can assure you, you will have their full attention" Snape hissed joyfully, positively simpering (not a pretty sight I assure you) at the awkward and possibly socially suicidal situation I have put myself in. Then without further ado he flings open the door to the Great Hall and thrusts me in with such force that I stumble and nearly fall flat on my face. I lift my face and meet the piercing gaze of hundreds of pairs of eyes all looking questioningly at me. Oh…that's why… Right as I'm beginning to panic, I hear cursing Hermione and Harry are thrown in after me. Luna of course strolls in regally as if she walks into a roomful of baffled stares everyday. Actually now that I think about it she probably does. I mean she is quite odd and everyone including me calls her Looney. I'm sure this is par for the course to her. I feel a twinge of pity for her and more than a little respect when she glides in front of me towards the House tables and into a vacant seat with her fellow Ravenclaws. Her brave procession draws attention from our still fear-struck forms, allowing Harry, Hermione and I to use the diversion to slink into our own spaces at the Gryffindor table. We find seats adjacent to Luna's, hoping to regroup and debrief about all we had just seen on the train with her following the meal. In the meantime we collectively decided to try and concentrate on eating and fending off the barrage of questions we were immediately bombarded with.
"Where the 'ell of you guys been? We were startin' to worry about ya" inserted Seamus almost immediately. I choose to ignore him for the moment while I survey tonight's feast offerings. We apparently had missed most of it, arriving at the tail end of the main course. I picked some meat off the suckling pig and pile my plate with veggies and other side items, still studiously ignoring the persistent inquires of my housemates.
"I heard there was a scuffle on the train and you guys were at the heart of it. Course that's just one of the many theories that were floating around" alluded Dean excitedly over his forgotten Wellington.
"Yeah, one 6th year said he saw the whole lot of you Apparate right out of the compartment. Another bloke swore you all were stuck in there by some weird greenish snottish rubbish" chimed in Angela, the raised eyebrow showing just how much stock she put in those stories.
"Hell even Malfoy's putting forth his two cents. I heard him saying y'all were…um well" Neville's began to stutter as his the nature of his divulgence began to make him uncomfortable. Oh that CAN'T be good.
As if on the same wavelength Harry asked urgently, "What has Malfoy been saying? Please we need to know. We have to be able to arm ourselves against whatever slanderous bile he's spitting off about us" One look from Harry though told me he shared my same sense of foreboding that for once Malfoy might actually be telling the truth.
"Well you see…he was saying…implying…that you guys were…and I'm quoting this…'too busy running your own porn show to worry about little things like getting to school on time'…" At this final admission Neville turned bright pink and Harry illicited a groan. Hermione and I stare at each other in horror, our worst fear having been realized. Oh I am NEVER going to live this down. Even if most people won't believe the little guttersnipe, his cronies will certainly revel in the tale, aiding him as he uses this to torture us till the day we die…which actually since Voldemort has risen again could be very soon. Hey a girl can hope!
Finally Hermione, always the level head sighs, conceding "Later, we will deal with him and all the other rumors later. Its not like we're novices to vicious gossip. We have the truth on our side." Yeah it would help if that truth wasn't just as awkward and potentially rep crushing as the gossip. I mean really who is going to believe that my head just HAPPENED to slam into Harry's crotch then get stuck there...for several minutes…. we're screwed.
"Well despite all you've heard, nothing of any particular interest went on in our compartment. We were simply waylaid by a few tiffs and a series of unfortunate events. Let's just eat our dinner and leave it at that." I let out a relieved sigh as the rest of the table resumes their attack on the food-laden table, seemingly satisfied by Hermione's explanation.
"Hey where's Ron?" inquires George glancing about like he expects his brother to pop up behind him and yell 'Surprise!'
"Yeah it's not like him to miss a meal, especially a feast! Boys got a bigger stomach then most giants" chimes in Fred, as always following on the heels of his twin with his own wit and humor. I groan internally. Here it comes. Damn I thought we were out of the woods too!
"Lets just say that series of events was especially unfortunate for Ron…" Harry's candid yet vague response earned more then a few raised eyebrows from the assembled table. Thankfully though they once again appeared to let it go, though now they turned and muttered to themselves, sharing theories of their own.
Oh crap I am REALLY never going to hear the end of this! Shit…
Ok so not a long update but I'll try to write more soon. Im a bit pressed for time right now…
