Harry was trying desperately to concentrate on his transfiguration homework. Unfortunately he'd only managed to write his name and the date on the top of the page. It was late – almost midnight – but Snape had kept him till eleven o' clock scrubbing the contents of a first year's exploded growth potion off the dungeon walls. The putrid liquid had been so thick that Harry had practically had to chisel it off with his nails, which had now worn down to nothingness. Most of the Gryfinndors had gone to bed but Harry had stayed up with Hermione (who was always willing to spend extra time over her homework) to complete the theory portion of his augmentimus charm. They were sat in the corner of the room where the fire still burned, every now and then spitting embers as though angry that it had not been allowed to sleep.
Frustrated, Harry jerked his quill so hard into his parchment that it created a small rip, loud enough to make Hermione lift her head from an arithmancy text book.
'This is impossible!' Harry fumed.
Hermione rolled her eyes. 'Harry – you could do it with your eyes closed if your mind was on it', she said snapping her book shut. 'Give it here.' She snatched the blank parchment from his fist, screwing it up and throwing it into the fire. 'I'll help you do it at lunch tomorrow. Now what's on your mind? Is it what happened with Lister?'
Harry shook his head. It was true that the incident with Professor Lister was still on his mind. Harry had got angrier and angrier providing Lister and his 'Department of Intelligence and Information Regulation' with everything he knew about Voldemort and curses and death eaters. He had begun to wish that he had done as Adrianna and refused to answer – it all seemed too real written down on paper and in the end he'd watered down his version to nothing. Speaking to Hermione and the others afterwards he was glad he did. They were all in agreement that Lister was up to something and when they were alone he, Ron and Hermione had all decided that it would not be the wisest thing to do to let him think they knew more than the others.
Even more curious had been Adrianna's reaction. To Harry there were only two explanations for the way she had refused to complete the test. Firstly that, like Harry, she really did believe that the Ministry had no business at Hogwarts and so she was not about to participate in their little games - or that she simply knew more than she ought to about some of the things and so had refuse to say anything. If, as Ron said, she was a spy for Lucius, or even Voldemort, she would not exactly be about to reveal what she knew to a professor who came from the ministry.
Ron had stubbornly decided on the latter. He took her refusal as further evidence that his theory was right, even though as a result Lister had taken away all the points that Adrianna had so far earned for Gryfinndor and promised her he would speak to Lucius. Harry wasn't sure – he had noticed that the look of rebellious determination in Adrianna's eye when she had refused and it was an almost exact replica of his own.
But it wasn't really this that bothered Harry now. It was Sirius. In his detentions Snape was taking his usual delight in taunting Harry; he had made snide comments about his godfather's apparent 'weakness' in recovering and when Harry had risen to the bait, making an 'insolent' retort, Snape added extra time to his detention. It was only Tuesday now and Harry didn't know whether he could put up with another three nights of it – not to mention the fact that it was his first potions lesson in the morning. He was worried enough about Sirius as it was, but with Snape remarking that it was unlikely that he would wake up in the 'near future' or that his fingers probably wouldn't even grow back (which had made Snape's face sneer with more gusto than Harry had ever seen) Harry felt like it was going to be a very long and anxious week. Sirius was the closest thing that Harry had to real family. He was probably the only person who cared more about Harry than anyone else in the world and Harry didn't think he would be able to stand it if he didn't wake up.
'Its Sirius isn't it?' Hermione said. Harry smiled in spite of himself – she really did have the ability to read his mind. 'Oh Harry its no good torturing yourself. I'm sure that he will wake up soon.'
'Not if Snape has anything to do with it', Harry said wryly. 'He practically told me that Sirius was going to be a vegetable even if he did wake up!' This wasn't strictly true but Harry knew that he would have to exaggerate slightly if he wanted to get Hermione on side. She, however, did not seem fooled.
'Harry', she said gently, 'I'm sure Snape didn't mean that.'
'Well he gave a good impression of it!' Harry said shortly. He did not appreciate the way that Hermione always seemed quick to take Snape's part.
Hermione sighed, 'Well I do think that Snape could at least pretend to care about what happens to Sirius,' she said diplomatically, 'after all we are all on the same side.'
Harry snorted. He had his own doubts as to which side Snape was on. Dumbledore trusted Snape, but he didn't and he knew that Sirius didn't either. He looked into the grate wistfully. He wished that the amber sparks would be replaced with green whirls – the fire had been how he and Sirius had communicated the year before and he felt he would give anything now to see his godfather's head appear in the embers.
At that moment a whooshing sound penetrated the common room. For one wild moment Harry thought his wish would be fulfilled but it gave way to a jabbing noise somewhere in the opposite corner of the room. Harry and Hermione swivelled round to see a winged yard of purple parchment using its feet to hammer itself to the common room notice board, at the same time screaming in pain. Almost as immediately as they had seen them, the wings and feet disappeared leaving only a notice. Harry and Hermione got to their feet to scan the scrawled words quickly.
All Students
This it to announce that three will be a special assembly held in the Great Hall today at 10am to discuss the rudiments of the Founding Ceremony. Attendance is compulsory and morning classes will be cancelled.
Sincerely
Albus Dumbledore
'Oooh,' said Hermione, clapping her hands together, 'I wonder what Dumbledore has in store for us?'
Harry grinned for the first time that night, realising that his potions lesson was now cancelled. 'Knowing Dumbledore,' he said, 'something spectacular!'
It didn't take long for the news about the assembly to circulate the house. At breakfast all the students could do was to speculate on exactly what form the celebrations would take.
'When my granddad was at Hogwarts,' Ron said as he tucked into a bacon butty, loud enough for the first years he was supposed to be looking after to hear, 'he was there for the nine-hundredth-and-seventh celebration and he reckoned that they sacrificed one of the first years from each house to Salazar Slytherin to keep him happy.'
Each and every first year shrunk from Ron as though he was Voldemort himself at these words, their mouths gaping open. They had only been in Hogwarts a few days but in that time they seemed to have learned that anything was possible.
'Don't be so pathetic Ron', Hermione chided, casting the terrified first-years a reassuring glance. 'He's only joking. It's a celebration not a sacrificial ceremony! If anything, there will be dancing and a feast.'
'Don't be too sure,' Ron went on importantly, 'us wizards take anniversaries very seriously. It wouldn't surprise me if at least one of you were for the chop.'
Hermione and Ron went on contradicting each other for the next five minutes. Each time Ron spoke he seemed to have more and more dire prophecies for the students.
' … didn't he Fred?' Ron insisted looking around for his elder (and more mischievous) brother for support for his latest claim that the founding ceremony would only be completed with Dumbledore drinking the blood of Hermione's pet cat Crookshanks.
'He's not here,' George said, an amused smile playing at his lips. 'Ever since we got back to Hogwarts he seems to be taking his Quidditch very seriously. He's practicing.'
'Surely he can't be worried that Harry will give his place away?' a curious and somewhat embittered Seamus said from across the table. 'After all, we all know that Harry won't pick anyone else but you two as beaters!'
George raised his eyebrow. 'Not with you as an option', he said. 'Anyway there's nothing wrong with a bit of practice, eh Harry?'
'Er no', Harry responded. He was getting sick of Seamus constant jibes about his potential selection of players. Though he knew it would be hard to drop anyone from the current team Harry thought he would have the guts to if it was necessary – though having observed both Fred and George over summer he doubted it would be.
Seamus blushed red and turned his attention back to his plate of toast at George's criticism of his abilities - evidently he thought himself a contender for the team. Harry went back to the more pleasant conversation of the possibilities of the founding anniversary.
Far away from the Great Hall in the Hogwart's yard two lone figures were riding their broomsticks high above the buildings. Adrianna, for now the third time in a row, had been reluctant to join the rest of her house for breakfast. She had sensed that some of the Gryfinndors were warming to her but she knew that Ron and his friends, particularly Harry, were still suspicious. Though it had not been the motive for it, she had hoped that her refusal to answer Lister's ridiculous questions the other day would have ingratiated herself more with the Gryfinndors - but it seemed like some of them were too set on hating her.
Horus Lister was someone who Adrianna had come across in her life on more than one occasion. In fact he had visited their manor – which was unusual for any of Lucius's supposed 'friends'. He had always been fairly nice to her and Draco, but he had a creepy aurora that surrounded him and Adrianna always though he looked slightly dishonest with his thin face and pointed nose. Anyway, even though (and perhaps because) he was friends with her Uncle there was no way that she was going to play along with his obvious attempts at coercion. The only reason he wanted to know what the students knew was so that he could report to the ministry and Adrianna was not going to make herself part of this little PR exercise. Anyway what was she going to write? That her Uncle was a death eater or that her mother had used every unforgivable curse on record to kill herself some aurors? It was not in Adrianna's nature to lie and it had been such a grossly unfair test that she had decided that she would rather face Lucius's wrath than answer, or answer untruthfully. Anyway, even if Horus did speak with her uncle about her behaviour Lucius could hardly be angry at her for failing to mention that he was one of Voldemort's servants.
Adrianna had now given up trying to pretend to herself that Lucius wasn't a death eater. What had happened between her Uncle and Harry on platform nine-and-three-quarters had told her what she had probably known all along – that her family were up to their necks in death eater service. She had believed Harry completely when he said that Lucius was with Voldemort on the night of the Triwizard tournament; she had read it in Lucius's piercing eyes as he went for his wand.
'Oi', shouted a voice. It was Fred Weasley. This was the third morning in a row that she had bumped into him flying. He was the first person she'd actually managed to have a real conversation with – even if it had only been about the joys of fine Quidditch weather.
'Oi yourself', she shouted. He nosedived from his higher position with impeccable speed and precision till he was level with Adrianna.
'Practicing again?' he said. 'Don't you ever eat?'
'I could ask you the same question', she retorted, casually folding her arms whilst easily keeping her balance. He raised his eyebrow but didn't comment upon this quite impressive feat.
'Still giving you a hard time are they?' he said instead. Adrianna didn't reply.
'Well you've got to see it from their point of view', he went on. 'I mean there are some pretty crazy stories about your mother and your aunts and uncles doing the rounds. Then you confuse everyone more by being put in Gryfinndor and then by doing "some of the finest magic Hermione has ever seen."'
'She said that?' Adrianna said delighted.
'Yep - although if you ask me she really wanted to say a lot more. That girl doesn't take to kindly to someone else taking her reputation as the brightest witch in Gryfinndor.
'Yeah, well I suppose I just don't find magic that difficult. Though I'm sure your dear brother Ron would be able to use that for one of his conspiracy theories - he seemstothink that I'm one of Voldemort's minions. Maybe I should start wearing short sleeves – you know, to show them that I don't have a dark mark.
Fred had winced at the use of the dark lord's name; but he was now grinning. 'Trust Won-Won to get it so wrong', he said.
Adrianna turned to look sharply at the red-headed boy, 'So you don't think he's right?'
Fred snorted. 'Of course not. Anyway I have my contacts.'
Adrianna looked at him sceptically, 'Contacts? What contacts?'
'They did hold the Triwizard Tournament here last year you know. Some of the Beaubaxtons girls were quite nice. I've kept in touch with a couple of them - Marielle Merriweather ring any bells?'
'You keep in contact with "Mad Mary"?'
'Of course. She's going to be the main supplier of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes to Beaubaxtons. You have to export to stay ahead of the game. Look, as soon as I saw you flying the other day I made it my business to find out exactly how good you were. You know me and George are the Gryfinndor beaters? It just seemed like you had a lot of power to your game.'
'Scared of a little competition are you?' Adrianna said, a broad grin now spread across her face – she was flattered that Fred had taken the trouble to find out about her Quidditch, it meant that he was concerned she was better than him.
'I am now. "Star beater" Mary said – never lost a house cup with you on the side. True?'
'Yeah I guess, though at the moment I'd stick with just getting a game.' Adrianna thought for a few moments. 'What else did she tell you about me?'
Fred grinned. 'She said that you transfigured a sixth year into a cockroach. That was why your uncle had to remove you wasn't it?'
'That and a few other mishaps.'
'She also said you were decent and not at all inclined to bumping off muggles or muggle-borns or "blood traitors" as your Uncle calls them.'
'Don't. He's awful.'
Adrianna felt the tension he had been feeling since she started Hogwarts dissolve slightly. It was nice to know that there was at least one person who knew she wasn't a death eater in the making.
'Look, I'm honestly nothing like Lucius', she said. 'Fair enough my mother was a mass murderer' Adrianna shivered slightly at the flippant way she came out with this - itwas one of her coping mechanisms - 'but I'm sure she was probably a little misguided. I don't hate muggles and I don't think that only pure bloods should be wizards or witches. Some of my best friends at Beuabaxtons were muggle-born – Mad Mary included. If anyone from Gryfinndor had ever taken the chance to ask me then they would know that. My Uncle despises me. I didn't answer Lister's exam because he's close with Lucius and …'
'Hey you don't have to convince me,' Fred said. 'I think you're alright.'
'Well I don't think I'll ever be able to convince your brother', she said, smiling gratefully at Fred's remark.
'Oh you'll have to excuse him, he's a bit dim witted at times. He probably thinks he's just being loyal or something. Him and Harry have been through a fair lot together.'
'So you think they might come round?'
'Yeah – Hermione's on their case already, I heard her in the common room last night.'
'Well that's a relief.' Adrianna felt happy for the first time that day. 'Anyway where's your other half today?'
'George you mean?'
'Yeah. I thought you were part of a set.'
'Nah. We give each other the odd morning off; otherwise going to the bathroom could be quite a nuisance. Anyway stop trying to change the subject. I'm more interested in exactly how good you are at Quidditch.'
'Is that a challenge?'
'Could be.'
'Well we've got another hour before that assembly. Do you want to give me a try?'
'Fine', Fred said. 'But if you're as good as Mad Mary told me then you better watch out – I might "accidentally" have to put you out of action.'
Adrianna grinned, 'You'll have to catch me first', she called, turning effortlessly on her broom and tearing off in the direction of the games cupboard to retrieve the practice bludgers.