DISCLAIMER: BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU WINGS!
(A/n: Duke, congrats it seems you're the only one who noticed it!)
(END OF CHAPTER FINALLY HERE!!)
Chapter Ten:
"PEEVES!" Yelled Harry as his hair dripped cold drops of water down the back of his neck, sending shivers through his body.
"Ickle Potty's all wet," Peeves cackled as he bopped overhead. Harry glared at the poltergeist as he disappeared into the wall. Harry had been at Hogwarts for three days now, and Peeves had made it his mission to catch Harry in as many jokes as he could. So far Harry had been attacked by three suits of armor, two large paintings had literally jumped off the wall and attacked him, walking sticks were flying toward his head at almost every corner, and occasionally Peeves would drop a large bucket of ice water on his head at inopportune moments.
The castle was deserted, Dumbledore spent most of his time away from the castle, in fact Harry hadn't seen him since they had arrived.
flashback
"Harry, you're probably wondering why such a large group retrieved you when going by portkey," stated Dumbledore when they were alone in his office.
"Er, no not really, last year there were a lot of people as well," said Harry shrugging, petting Fawkes gently.
"Ah, well," started Dumbledore a little hesitantly, a small twinkle apparent in his eye. "As you know, the papers have been...ER... singing your praises, so to speak."
"Don't remind me," muttered Harry.
"Yes, well, as you also know, you are the icon of the light side," said Dumbledore lightly.
Harry scowled at this, "Sir, I believe people think more of you, as the icon."
Dumbledore laughed, "Have you been reading the paper lately? I haven't even been mentioned, Harry. You however are mentioned everyday." Dumbledore shook his head, "My time has passed, as the icon, the students look to you, not me."
"Sir that's..."
"My dear boy, it's the truth, while they do look to me to protect them, they look to you to lead them," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily behind his half-moon glasses, "That's why I had so many Order members present today. They need to see that you are a capable leader."
"Why..."
"I won't always be here, Harry..."
"Sir that's..."
"The truth. Death is the only constant in life, once you except it, you can move on," Dumbledore's calm voice reverberated off the walls, "You suggested exactly what I have already begun to do. The Order needs to see that you are able to be looked upon as a leader, and that you're not impetuous, and can plan out strategies as well. You will be joining the Order next year, and they need to have confidence in you."
end flashback
Harry had learned that none of the teacher's stayed in the castle over the summer, in fact, neither did the ghosts, well Peeves, and Sir Nicholas did, but other than that Harry was all alone, the house-elves were hardly even seen, they didn't spend time in the kitchen, because they weren't cooking for a thousand students. In fact Dobby and Winky were doing the cooking for Harry, so he only saw the house elves a few times when they were cleaning various rooms around the castle.
So Harry took to haunting the library. It was refreshing to sit at a table with as many books (both regular and Restricted) as he wanted without Madam Pince hovering close by. Spending hours in the library proved effective, since he had already finished four Defense books, one Charms book, and a restricted book on Defense,(it was filled with defensive spells that caused pain.) Although they bordered on Dark Arts they were still considered Light spells, so they weren't illegal. After hours of reading Harry would retire to the quiditch pitch and practice the spells, so far he had perfected a powerful form of a stunner, that knocked a person out for two or more hours, "Enervate" wouldn't work, He learned the Anti-apparating hex, although he had no way to know if it was effective, He learned to conjure ropes, and could (after a lot of practicing) wrap a chair easily with the winding ropes, The Restricted book allowed Harry to learn to shoot Arrows out of his wand of all varieties (poisonous, regular, fire, etc...), shoot fireballs of all kinds, (the red flames would spread rapidly, the blue flames would build walls of fire, the black flames would burn everything and anything (even if spells were cast to prevent it), and the green flames would grow bigger if someone poured water on them), and he learned other forms of shields.
Today however Harry was going to work on perimeter charms, in fact that was where Harry was headed when Peeves dumped the water on his head, with a final scowl in the direction Peeves had disappered in Harry made his way to the Pitch. He had chosen the Pitch because it allowed him a lot of space, and just in case someone decided to pop in to visit him, he wouldn't accidently hit them. Well, that was the theory anyway.
Harry had charmed golf balls to fly sporadically around the pitch and erected the shields. After an hour of practicing the shields, Harry felt a presence behind him. It made his Stomach flip-over. And his head spin. Harry whipped around to find Tonks standing behind him.
"Watcher Harry!" She chimed merrily. Harry lowered the shields and nodded in her direction.
"'lo Tonks," Harry eyed her hair, "What's with the hair?"
Tonks face dropped as she picked up a lock of black hair, "What's wrong with it?"
"Nothings wrong with it," said Harry quickly, "It's just... normal."
"Oh," Tonks said Brightly. "I was told to be able to blend in with the muggles today!"
"That explains it, so business for the Order?" Asked Harry curiously as he summoned the golf balls to fly into a near-by bucket.
"No, I'm here for your BIRTHDAY SHOPPING SPREE!!!" She shouted the last part. Harry stared dumbly at Tonks as her voiced reverberated around the deserted pitch.
"Er, it's not my birthday," said Harry ambivalently. Tonks' face dropped suddenly.
"What do you mean "it's not you birthday"? Remus said it was July 31st," Tonks eyed Harry suspiciously.
"Yeah, it is, but today's not..." Harry stopped as he realized that today was in fact the 31st,Tonks started to laugh hysterically.
"You forgot your own birthday! Oh, Harry that's so sad," Tonks wiped away a tear from her eye as she smiled brightly.
"Er, right... I guess I was too busy with the fact that I'm not spending it with the Dursley's to remember it," said Harry helplessly. "Er... Ron and Hermione didn't send their presents, I guess that threw me off as well." Harry frowned as he thought about that, he didn't demand presents from his friends, in fact he was thrilled when they came, even if it was just a card... but to not get anything was quite upsetting to Harry who had grown accustomed to at least knowing they cared enough to recognize the occasion, however small it might be. Tonks' voice suddenly cut through his musings.
"Yea, can't trust the mail these days... Molly was absolutely hysterical when Dumbledore told her she couldn't send her cake... But he promised to allow her to deliver it herself later tonight," she said idly, "But for now you get my present to you." She smiled widely and extended her arms over her head in a large Y and shouted as loud as she could, "ME!!" Small echos of "me" were still ringing in his ears when he addressed her.
"Er, what do you mean by that?" Said Harry looking dauntingly at her.
She smiled wickedly. "Why what does every teenage boy need with an older, more experienced woman."
Harry paled slightly as he raised an eyebrow at her, he of course knew she was joking, or hoped she was, as he replied. "Really? Well, Here I thought you and Lupin were "experiencing" things together." It was Tonks turn to react, but only a small tinge of pink appeared in her cheeks. As she mumbled something under her breath that Harry didn't catch.
"What was that?" Asked Harry smiling slightly.
"Nothing..." she said quickly, "As I was saying, my gift to you, is Me! Today I am your own personal shopper," She smiled brightly as she grabbed Harry's arm, "We're going clothes shopping!"
Five hours (four of them mind numbingly dull), and 1630 pounds (a.n $3000/or so the money translator claims) later Harry and Tonks were sitting down to dinner at a small muggle restaurant. The afternoon had crept by in absolute boredom, and repetitiveness. After the first hour the novelty of actually receiving new clothes wore off. Tonks was a slave driver when it came to trudging from shop to shop. And needless to say she was Happy, and growing happier by the minute, throughout the whole ordeal.
Harry Had tried on about twenty pairs of pants, at least forty shirts in J.C. Penny, just to have Tonks decide she didn't like anything and told the salesclerk, "We've decided to go another way." And pulled Harry from the store without buying anything. She then pulled him into Abercrombie & Finch, where the same process of trying on clothes commenced. Finally, Harry had clothes from various stores, brands, and styles. Harry could only remember a few store names that he had bought from, The Rave, The Gap, Abercrombie & Finch, Old Navy, and a small family owned shop called The Closet Door. According to Tonks Harry could pull off both prep and punk clothes... and since Harry didn't have a preference decided he could make his own style by mixing and matching the styles together.
"Harry," Tonks said suddenly. Harry looked up from his plate. "How about we get you a haircut as well," she eyed his hair shrewdly.
Harry ran a hand through his hair, "Why?"
"Well it's kinda wild, if we trim it, we can tame it," Said Tonks in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Yeah, that's what my aunt thought," laughed Harry. "But it never happened, I must have had over a hundred hair cuts in my life. No matter what you do, it stays the same. She even went so far as to almost shave me bald, next day it was back to normal," Harry smiled slightly, "A hair cut won't work... I'll have to live with it just the way it is...What's wrong?" Harry looked at Tonks who was staring at Harry with wide eyes.
"It grew back? IN ONE NIGHT?" She whispered urgently.
"Er...yeah, I mean I use to do a whole bunch of accidental magic when I was younger, set loose a snake on Dudley, turned my teachers wig blue, somehow ended up on the school roof-no idea how I got up there, one minute I was trying to jump behind a dumpster, the next I was on the roof," shrugged Harry as he counted off the events on his fingers. "Truthfully I should have realized that there was something odd going on... oh well, I never claimed to be smart."
Harry finished his food, "So are you done? I'd like to get back to Hogwarts so Mrs. Weasley doesn't have to wait..." trailed off Harry.
Tonks was muttering under her breath something that sounded like "going to have to talk to McGonagall" before she snapped her attention back on Harry. "What? Oh yeah, lets go!"
"Oh, Harry dear, how are you?" Cried Molly Weasley as she enveloped Harry into a motherly hug.
"Fine," replied Harry in a muffled voice.
"Ickle Harry is growing up so fast..." sobbed Fred mockingly on George's shoulder.
"Soon he'll be defeating dark lords..." George jibed.
"And his minions..." added Fred.
"Oh, wait..." They concluded together thoughtfully.
Harry scowled slightly in their direction as Mrs. Weasley tried to flatten his hair. "Why exactly are you two here, by the way?" They smiled sheepishly.
"You won the bet, were here to pay up," Said Fred slightly irritated.
"What bet?" Asked Harry confused.
"WHAT BET??" George turned to Fred looking abashed. "He's asking what bet?" Fred shook his head.
"The bet on how long Ron and Hermione would last," explained Fred. Harry's mouth dropped open. "Yeah, they broke up, it was 6 days 5 hours, after we made the bet, you bet a week."
"So we are here to present you..." started George pulling out a small bag.
"With your winnings..." continued Fred.
"For accurately predicting the future..." smirked George.
"Our own little seer." Concluded a smiling Fred.
"Er- guys I wasn't being serious when I said that," said Harry slightly hurt they would actually think he'd bet against his friends.
They looked taken aback for a few seconds before bursting into hysterics. "He didn't..." "So we didn't..." "The betting..." "Oh that's bloody brilliant!"
"Er- are you two alright?" Asked Harry not seeing the joke.
"Are we alright?" Asked George wiping away a tear. "We're magnificent! Almost the entire order was in on this bet!"
"What?" Asked Harry, sure he heard that wrong.
"The Order, we told them about the bet after their meetings, Dung was the first to place a bet, he bet a week, like you..." Started Fred.
"But that was only after he heard you made a bet of a week..." Frowned George.
"Then Diggle made a bet of 2 weeks, McGonagall (although she'll deny it to anyone who asks) bet 2 ½ weeks, Dumbledore thought it funny and bet a month, Charlie said 3 weeks, Bill said 2 ½ days (not much confidence there), George here said two weeks, I stayed neutral of course, and surprisingly Snape made a bet of a week as well..." Rattled off Fred.
"But he did ask how long you bet for, and seemed to think it was the best choice..." smirked George.
"Ok, but they broke up? How? Why?" Harry was confused, why did they break up.
The twins shared a hesitant look. "Listen mate," said a frowning Fred as he snaked his arm around Harry's shoulders, "Nobody blames you, well maybe Ron, but everyone else knows it's not your fault."
"What? Why would I think it was my fault? Why does Ron? What happened!?" Asked Harry pulling out from Fred's arm and sending a piercing look at both of them... A sudden flash of images flashed across his mind as he looked into Fred's Eyes.
"Ronald Weasley, you are the biggest prat in the world!" Hermione was screaming at Ron who was a bright shade of red that rivaled his hair. "How dare you forbid me to do anything! YOU DON'T OWN ME!" She shouted in indignation.
People were watching from all corners of the room, Harry briefly registered that it looked like almost all the Order members.
"YOU'RE MY GIRLFRIEND AND YOU WILL OBEY ME!" Shouted Ron in a bellowing vociferation.
"I can write to whoever I want! And I am my own person, you have no right to dictate what I say or do, Ronald Weasley. Any real man would realize that!" Said Hermione in a cold voice, laced with malice.
"Any real man would not allow his girlfriend to be a whore," said Ron as he moved in closer to her, his voice tinged with anger.
"I AM NOT A WHORE! WAIT UNTIL I TELL HARRY WHAT YOU JUST SAID!" Screamed Hermione shrilly, small tears running down her cheeks.
"OH YES, DARLING HARRY. LET'S RUN TO YOUR HERO, LIKE YOU ALWAYS DO, AND TELL HIM THAT I TOLD THE TRUTH. NEWSFLASH HERMIONE HE'S NOT HERE! AND HE DOESN'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT YOU..." Hermione's fist hit him so suddenly Harry would have thought he had imagined it had Ron not been sent spiraling to the ground.
"How dare you! HOW DARE YOU!" Shrieked Hermione, tears no longer escaping her eyes. "Going out with you was the worst mistake I could ever have made. How could I ever, be with a immature, jealous, chauvinistic, egomaniac like you is beyond me... Luckily I don't have to live with that mistake, We're over... And I highly doubt our friendship will ever be the same."
Ron scoffed as he picked him self off the ground, a stream of blood escaping his lip, his jaw would be swollen in the morning. "What friendship, you used me to make Harry jealous," spat Ron.
"I did no such thing," said Hermione taken aback. She was shaking slightly.
"Yes you did, whenever we were together you'd always talk about him, how you're worried about him, how you wish he was here, how sweet he is... And when he was here you totally ignored me, you ran to his side, and left me like was a piece of trash to throw away. But he's the real kicker Hermione, he wasn't jealous, he didn't give a damn..., you say I was the biggest mistake you ever made, Well my biggest mistake was saving you from that Troll in first year!" snarled Ron.
"You? YOU!? You want a newsflash Ron, It was Harry who made you-made you- come find me! It was Harry who saved me by distracting the troll by risking his life! It was Harry, not you, you were merely lucky with knocking the troll out with it's own club, you weren't even brave! You were by the doors the whole time, while HARRY did all the work! SO DON'T YOU DARE CLAIM CREDIT FOR SOMETHING YOU DIDN'T DO!" Shouted Hermione, her eyes flashing dangerously.
"You're right Hermione, If it wasn't for Harry WE WOULDN'T BE FRIENDS!" Sneered Ron. Hermione stepped back a little. She took two calming breaths before looking back at Ron.
"You're absolutely right," said Hermione calmly, "Mr. And Mrs. Weasley I appreciate your hospitality," she turned to Ron and snarled, "IN HARRY'S HOUSE!", and turned back to the Weasley's and said in just as calm voice, "But I will no longer be staying here, I'll be spending the remainder of the holiday with my parents." And with that she stormed up the stairs and out of view.
"Harry! Wake up, dear boy, wake up!" A kind, yet worried voice broke through the scene. Harry moaned a little as he opened his eyes, his head was pounding and the light was very bright.
"What happened?" Harry groaned as he grabbed his head into his hands.
"You have to tell us Potter!" snapped a voice Harry instantly recognized as Snape's. Harry sent a dirty look toward where he assumed Snape was as he slowly opened his eyes. He was in the hospital wing.
Harry looked around disgustedly, "Already in the hospital wing, and term hasn't even started," said Harry in a loathing voice.
"WHAT HAPPENED POTTER!" snapped Snape again.
"Severus..." warned Dumbledore.
"I don't know, sir," Said Harry snappishly back at Snape. "I was talking to Fred and George, they were telling me about Ron and Hermione breaking up, something about how noone blamed me, or something like that, and suddenly I was in a vision."
"A vision?" Said Both Snape and Dumbledore. "What did you see?" asked Dumbledore kindly, "What did the dark lord do?" asked Snape snarled.
"No, it wasn't one of those, it was like I was seeing them fight, I saw them breakup, Ron called her a whore," said Harry massaging his head slightly as he dumbly recalled what he saw, suddenly as if the fog lifted Harry's head snapped up, "HE CALLED HER A WHORE!" Harry tried to get out of bed but Snape quickly conjured restraints to hold him down.
"Calm yourself Potter," said Snape cooly. "What were you doing when you got this vision."
"I told you, talking to Fred and George," snapped Harry trying to remove the restraints.
"Were you looking right in there eyes or were you looking else where?" Asked Dumbledore nicely as he watched Harry struggling against the restraints.
"What!?" Asked Harry, "I don't know, I guess I was looking at Fred. Now can you remove these, please!?" Harry yanked on the arm restraints, he heard a small crack of wood, they were attached to the wooden headboard.
"Harry, their to keep you from doing anything rash," said Dumbledore apologetically. As he glance at Snape who looked oddly triumphant. "We think you might have accidentally performed Legilimency."
Harry glared at both of them, "Sorry, as interesting as that is, I don't like to be tied up, two many bad memory's," said Harry as he gave a hard tug on the restraints. A loud crack, and splintering wood, filled the air as the headboard broke into pieces, Harry grabbed his wand, and his glasses and dashed out of the hospital wing at a full blown run. He didn't stop until he reached the quiditch pitch. But he found he wasn't alone, up in the air a person with fiery red hair was flying lazily around the pitch. It took a few seconds before the person saw Harry, but the immediately made a beeline straight for him.
"How dare you show your face to me!" Bellowed Ron.
"Me!? YOU CALLED HERMIONE A WHORE!" Shouted Harry.
"Oh she ran and told her SAVIOR, did she?" Ron spat with as much venom as he could muster. "How predictable."
"I haven't heard from Hermione since I came here, you half-wit, but did you not think it'd get back to me!?" Harry's cold tone piercing through the air. Harry could care less about Ron's soon-to-be tantrum. All his mind could focus on right now was the uncontrollable urge to hurt Ron as much as he could before Dumbledore or Snape caught up to him.
"How dare you!" Harry ground out through his clenched teeth. A magical surge of energy ran along his entire body, begging to be released, but Harry fought to keep it in. But the realization that Ron called Hermione, Harry's best friend; the one who never wavered from his side; the girl who always thought about what was best for him; the one who helped him through everything; the one who gave him the only two highlight points of last year, such a vile and disgusting lie made his blood boil in suppressed rage.
"How dare me? HOW DARE YOU!" Bellowed Ron. "You get everything! EVERYTHING! YOU HAVE THE MONEY! THE FAME! THE POWER! THE RESPECT! HELL YOU EVEN HAVE THE MOST POWERFUL WIZARD IN THE WORLD PRACTICALLY EATING OUT OF YOUR HAND! BUT YOU STILL NEED MORE! YOU STOLE MY CAPTAINCY! I WON THE CUP! YOU WEREN'T EVEN ON THE BLOODY TEAM!!" He took a deep breath, and took quick steps toward Harry, "But it was alright because I had the one thing you didn't. The one thing you wanted but couldn't have, I had it. But you had to mess that up too! HERMIONE'S MINE! YOU CAN'T HAVE HER!"
"SHE'S NOT A BLOODY TROPHY, RON!" Harry bellowed back in Ron's face, "And you screwed that relationship up, not me! Everything else you credited to me, things you want, I DON'T BLOODY WANT THEM! HAVEN'T YOU FIGURED THAT OUT YET!? Money I inherited after my PARENTS AND GODFATHER DIED! Fame I got for SURVIVING WHEN MY PARENTS DIDN'T! I HAVE NO BLOODY POWER, I CAN'T EVEN MAKE MY OWN DECISION OF WHERE I GO FOR HOLIDAY BREAK! RESPECT? IS THAT WHAT YOU CALL BEING CALLED INSANE FOR A WHOLE YEAR?" Harry took a calming breath although that allowed him to stop yelling it did nothing to quell the repressed magical outburst reaching the surface, and Harry had little hope of stopping it, should it break the boundaries. "I would give all the money away, all the unwanted fame, everything for an hour with my parents and S..Sirius, but I can't, you...YOU ruined what chance you had with Hermione, not me, and don't you dare try and blame me you egotistical prat."
Harry should have seen it coming, but being so worried about the impending accidental magic outburst he was rather preoccupied. So it came as quite a shock when Ron's fist collided resolutely with Harry's jaw. Having taken unexpected punches before Harry's body instinctually braced itself, he didn't even teeter on the spot which, by the look on his face, shocked Ron more than what Happened next.
The trenchant outburst if magical energy shook the very foundations of the quiditch pitch. The air sizzled with pent-up magic. A large crack resounded in the air as Harry returned the punch into Ron's nose and as Ron stumbled backward blood gushing freely from every orpheus it could Harry intoned, "You punch like a girl mate." Steading himself, Ron scowled deeply at Harry, although the bloody nose somewhat lessened the glare.
Without responding Ron launched himself at Harry, taking them both to the ground. It was hard to tell who was winning, since they both were rolling around and punching whatever they could. It wasn't until Harry punched Ron hard in the stomach, and jumped to his feet did it look as if he was the one that was no worse for wear, "I insulted the entire female gender when I said you punched like one." Ron rolled to his side clutching his stomach in pain. "You will write to Hermione, you will apologize! I don't care if you have to act as a houself to her for the rest of your life, you'll fix this!" Harry, whose lip was slightly bleeding, spit a reddened color of saliva onto the ground and wiped away the small trickle of blood congregating in the corner of his mouth. He started to turn away, but it seemed Ron wasn't about to give up that easily.
"STUPIFY!" Yelled Ron. Luckily Ron's aim sucked and the spell grazed by his left ear. Whipping around with seeker reflexes Harry palmed his wand and sent a disarming spell at Ron, who barely missed it when jumping out of the way. Harry thought better then to yell the spells he was sending, instead he used a bored tone that seemed to irritate Ron to no extent. For that's what Harry was, he was bored with this unnecessary duel.
"STUPIFY! EXPELLIARMUS! " Ron shot two spells rapidly at Harry, who feigned a yawn as he conjured a shield. Both spells reflected and hit Ron effectively disarming and stunning him at the same time.
"'ARRY!" Harry turned around to see both Hagrid and Lupin staring dumbly at him.
"He attacked me! I merely defended myself," explained Harry quickly.
"It's true," said Ginny as she landed next to Harry.
"Where the bloody hell did you come from!?" Asked Harry shocked at her sudden appearance.
"I was practicing with Ron, you didn't notice me up there?" She looked skyward for a split second, "Well I guess you were a little preoccupied with kicking his arse," she nodded towards Ron.
"What happened?" Asked Lupin seriously as he examined Ron.
"The dolt attacked Harry, Harry fought back, Harry won, Ron's unconscious... that about sums it up." Although her tone didn't waver her eyes held suppressed amusement. "By the way, did you do that?" She indicated to the Slytherin Stand that now had a crack running through the foundation.
"Er... yeah, didn't mean to though... lost control...," Harry meagerly explained as he surveyed the damage of his accidental magic.
"It's just superficial, the magic will hold it up," said Lupin standing up. "Ron on the other hand needs to see Madam Pomfrey." With that he conjured a stretcher and turned to Ginny, "I trust you'll see to it that he gets there?" She nodded as she led the stretcher away.
Both Hagrid and Lupin turned to Harry, "Really I didn't..." Lupin raised his hand.
"If he attacked you first it was self defense, I'm sure you didn't do anything more than necessary," said Lupin as he waved his wand toward the large crack and fixed it.
" 'ou and Ron 'ad a lil' spat, it 'appens," said Hagrid, although the look they exchanged suggested more to it. "'esides, it's 'our birthday!"
"Speaking of which, Hagrid and I have a bit of a surprise for you," Lupin said motioning for Harry to follow them. They led Harry to Hagrid's hut, and through his small garden, pumpkins were already beginning to grow in anticipation for the Halloween feast, and to the small tool shed that sat near the forest. They both smiled at Harry as Hagrid pushed open the door.
What Harry had thought to be a small, muggle tool shed was anything but. It, like he should have expected, had been magically expanded. It held all of the gardening tools, and other stuff such as crossbows, that Hagrid was seen with throughout the years. But there in the middle of the shed sat a beautiful, ebony motorcycle. The Gryffindor crest sat proudly on the stern of the bike, while near the dash in elegant, loopy, scrawl he recognized as Sirius' the word "Marauders" was written. Harry's mouth dropped open, "I...i...s....s... h...h..oo..." Harry couldn't form a coherent word let alone sentence so he just stared at the bike.
"'es speec'less," Laughed Hagrid as he slapped Harry on the shoulder. "Mind, 'ou it don't work no more, 'amn muggle contraption, not sure why."
"Yeah, Sirius loved this thing, enchanted it to fly even, didn't care that it was against the law, thought he got away with being an illegal animagi, why not try some other laws to break. Though it was just a slap on the wrist back then, if he were caught." Lupin intoned fondly.
"But it doesn't work any longer, probably because it's been sitting here for the better of fifteen years," shrugged Lupin. "We know it's not a great gift but..."
"N...no, it's wonderful, I don't care if it doesn't work, it was S..Sirius'." Harry said as he struggled to fight off the depression that threatened him. "T..Thank you, both of you..."
Harry made his way back to the Great Hall, He had been sitting with Lupin and Hagrid for almost two hours listening to them talk about all kinds of trouble Sirius would get into on that bike, mostly involving some witch or muggle police.
It was then that Harry decided he would somehow get the bike working again. Not so he could get into police chases and end up scaring the muggles by flying away, or taking girls up into the air and pretending to run out of gas... but because the bike meant a lot to him, Lupin told him how often he would magically clean it, even so much as go about it the muggle way to make sure it was spotless. So with an elated heart he entered the Great Hall. Where he ran directly into McGonagall.
"Ah Potter, there you are," She smiled slightly at him. "Happy Birthday." She looked around the empty hall, "Here," she placed a small, rectangular package into his hands. "Now this isn't a birthday gift, I don't play favorites you know," and with that she winked at him and set off out of the Great Hall as Harry's call of "thank you" sounded after her.
Harry opened the package and found a small book titled "Defensive Counterbalance" by M.C. Polgertern. Harry smiled to himself, as he opened the book and sat down at the Gryffindor table to read.
It was an hour later that Mrs. Weasley, Lupin, Tonks, Fred, George, Ginny, Ron (who didn't look all that thrilled to be there), Hagrid, McGonagall, and Dumbledore settled into have a piece of Mrs. Weasleys cake. Luckily they didn't sing "Happy Birthday", much to Mrs. Weasley's disappointment- (Fred and George, who had made absolute fun of Ron for getting beaten up, warned everyone that Harry had kicked the crap out of him because he tried to sing it to him, although they didn't believe it, they didn't risk it either) because Harry really didn't know what he would have done.
Harry, who was still annoyed with Tonks for revealing he could cook, and the shopping fiasco from earlier, was itching to try out a spell from his "non present", it was a spell to hide your stuff from other people, only the owner would be able to see it. Harry, had decided to try the spell out on Tonks, seeing if the spell worked on people. As quietly as he could he whispered the spell, a swoosh of air was the only thing that told Harry something had happened.
Suddenly the chatter died away and everyone's eyes were fixated on Tonks, who was vigorously attacking her cake. She looked up. "What!? Do I have frosting on my face." Everyone started to laugh. "What!?" She wiped her face. "WHAT!?"
"Tonk's where are your clothes?" Called out Ginny.
"My clothes?" Tonks looked down then back up, "What are you talking about, my clothes are on me..."
Lupin who hadn't been laughing but instead staring slack-jawed at Tonks, who was only in her bra and underwear, snapped to his senses and immediately conjured a blanket and tried to cover her with it, which was proving difficult because she was avoiding him telling him she was wearing her clothes, and that this wasn't funny.
Harry who thought she had suffered enough quickly removed the spell, which dumbfounded everyone watching, as her clothes reappeared. Suspicious glances made their way to the twins who were laughing hysterically, but before anyone could accuse them of the prank the door opened and in stalked Snape. He looked around the room and rolled his eyes, "Headmaster, I'll be leaving now."
"Ah, Severus, at least have a piece of cake..." Dumbledore sighed.
"No thank you headmaster," He shook his head as he turned.
Harry didn't know what made him call after Snape, or why he said it but it was out of his mouth before he could stop himself, "It's just a piece of cake, it won't kill you."
Everyone turned toward Harry, shock evident on their faces. Snape paused in midstep. Dumbledore smiling at Harry encouragingly clapped his hands together, "See the Birthday Boy wants you to have a piece of cake," Harry's eye twitched at that. He didn't not really, but the predicament Snape faced right now was worth it. He could either suck it up and take a piece of cake and "celebrate", or refuse and look like a jerk in front Dumbledore and McGonagall. It was the latter not the former that he chose, as he strode purposefully to the cake and took a piece, but he chanced a glare at Harry and whispered only so Harry could hear, "How very Slytherin of you." After that he made his way out of the hall. Harry smiled to himself as he took another bite of cake.
Harry didn't know what was better, the fact that he had somewhat beat Snape, or the fact that before Ron left he had given him his present and a quiet but sincere "sorry." Ginny explained that it was exactly what he needed to get his big head deflated and that Harry was allowed to deflate it anytime he wanted.
After everyone had left, leaving Harry alone again he made his way to the Owlery where Hedwig was. He had written a letter to Mark practically begging him to pickup as many non-electrical tools, and motorcycle repair books as he could, before the first. Harry had included some muggle money and told him if he needed more to send him a letter with his owl.
He also wrote a quick note to Hermione,
Are you alright?
Harry
It was simple and to the point. At least he hoped it was, and sent both letters off with Hedwig. It was nearing ten o'clock when Harry was making his way back to his dorm. His mind on the great birthday he just had, when he walked, literally, into Nearly Headless Nick. It took a few seconds for the cold chills to go away. Harry turned to apologize, but realized Nick hadn't even noticed him.
"I dare say you are the worst knight I have ever met," Said Nick as he brandished his translucent sword, which Harry had never noticed before.
Harry looked at who he was talking to and found to his amusement Peeves wearing a suit of armor and waving around a sword. Peeves Cackled as he swung the sword cutting Nick in half.
Peeves took off down the hall singing loudly a crude song about pillaging a local tavern for girls. It was then that Nick noticed Harry, "Good evening, Harry." But Harry didn't hear him, he was too busy watching Nick's sword.
"Did you actually fight with that?" Asked Harry curiously as he continued to stare at the sword.
"Of course I did, was pretty good with it I might add," Nick said indignantly, most likely thinking Harry to be poking fun at him.
"I've used a sword before, killed a basilisk, Er... I wasn't so good with it," said Harry still looking at the sword. "Do you...do you think you could, I don't know, teach me how to use it?" Harry anticipated a no for an answer, after all what kind of person would teach him how to use a sword, however Harry was in for a surprise.
"My heavens, of course I would! Haven't had an apprentice for over 500 years! We shall start tomorrow, PREPARE FOR AN EARLY MORNING!" And with that Nick disappeared down the hallway, humming to himself.
"I think I'm going to regret that," muttered Harry to himself as he watch Nick disappear with a slight feeling of trepidation.
WELL THAT TOOK FOREVER! THANKS TO THOSE WHO VOTED! I NEED TO WRITE THE NEXT CHAPTER! YES I DO! :) HOPE IT'S GOOD, PROBABLY NOT WORTH THE WAIT. HMMM REVIEWS ALWAYS WELCOME, AND FOR THOSE WHO THINK RON APOLOGIZING IS WEIRD, TOUGH LUCK CAUSE I MAY NOT LIKE HIM BUT HARRY DOES SO HE'S GOTTA APOLOGIZE ANYWAY. BETTER SOONER THAN LATER!
