Sorry, with Christmas coming up I've been doing other things with the family and don't kill me when I say I've been reading other things. (Don't freak, it's the Harry Potter books) xD
The next chapter might be slightly shorter seeing as it's just going to be about Slughorn's party and then the next one will probably skip a few weeks to the Quidditch Match.
Enjoy :D
Getting up late in the morning and putting on his robes in a hurry, Harry made his way towards the Great Hall. He was starving and wanted some food in his empty stomach.
When he walked in the doors though, the Great Hall was packed and every table was full. The buzz of conversation was evident in the air and Harry could tell as he walked down the tables to squeeze next to Hermione and Ron at the Gryffindor table that the main topic was about the explosion last night.
'So what are everyone's theories about last night?' Harry asked, picking up five pieces of toast from the middle of the table and spreading some jam on them.
'Mainly it's just that the Slytherin's are trying to get attention and create trouble.' Ron said among his cereal.
'Well that's usual then, and not very creative.' Harry stated.
Ron chuckled as he took another mouthful of cereal; he didn't seem to be taking this as seriously as most people around the hall were. Harry over hearing some people's conversations could hear the worry and concern in their voices.
Colin Creevey's brother, Dennis, looked a little shaken even. Maybe the big bang had brought back memories of that dreadful day; the day his brother and so many others died among big explosions and Death Eaters. He sat at the Gryffindor table, not alone because the table was packed, but quietly, picking at the food on his plate.
The owls flapped their wings as they came through into the Great Hall, clutching onto their messages and parcels. Harry plucked the envelope from a brown owl and read over the letter from Tonks's mother. She was just informing Harry that Teddy was well and healthy. He had been wandering around the house causing trouble, knocking things over and throwing great big tantrums when he didn't get his way. Changing his hair colour like Tonks's in the photo's they had of her at home and getting stronger every day.
Harry smiled as he skimmed over the letter; he just wished he could be there to watch his god son grow up.
Harry picked up the Daily Prophet from the middle of the table, Hermione having quickly scanned it and not really finding interest in any articles had left it there for anyone else to read it.
Scanning over the front page quickly and finding nothing Harry moved onto the next few pages.
Malfoy Madness
Blinking a few times and then bringing the paper closer to his face; seeing if he had read the tiny heading correctly. 'Oh no.' Harry exasperated in disbelief.
Ron, with the tip of his spoon lowered the top of the newspaper, getting a good look at Harry. 'What now?' He muttered among some food.
Harry pushed his toast to the side and laid the paper flat down on the table surface, the tiny article clear for all to see. Harry looked above his glasses rims to see Hermione too looking at him; they were waiting for him to say more.
'Malfoy's going for a hearing; they're deciding his fate of being thrown into Azkaban.' Harry said, shaking his head slightly, whether it was from frustration or just to get his hair out of his eyes, he didn't know.
Yes, Malfoy had been a Death Eater. No hesitation there. Yes, he had tried to get Harry in trouble numerous times. He had frequently threatened him and his friends and yes, he was a complete ass. But Harry knew that Draco wasn't a murderer. Harry had seen it in his eyes when he had his opportunity to kill Dumbledore. But he hadn't. He had failed his task and Snape then had to step in and finish Dumbledore.
'Good, he deserves it.' Ron mumbled taking another spoon full of food and shovelling it into his mouth un-phased.
Hermione raised her hand and smacked him over the back of his head, making the spoon clatter noisily across the table. 'No he doesn't Ron!'
'After all the things he's done to us you're going to stand up for him?' Ron said in disbelief.
'Yes! Why wouldn't I?' She retorted.
'Because he's a scum and gets what's coming to him!' Ron yelled.
Hermione stood up, 'He's still human!' She shrieked, and with that still hanging thick in the air, she left without a backwards glance.
A few people at the Gryffindor table were looking at Ron and Harry, shocked to see that the three heroines were quarrelling.
Harry sighed and stared at Ron, not uttering a word but just staring, trying to at least make him uncomfortable and take it all back.
'What?' Ron said annoyed at Harry's constant glare.
'She's right you know.' Harry said coolly, taking a bit out of his toast.
Ron chucked his spoon back into his bowl and pushed it to the side. 'You're seriously going on her side -?'
'There are no sides Ron; only if you want there to be some.' Harry interjected.
'Malfoy's a scum who deserves what he's going to get in there. He'll feel right at home with the rest of them Death Eaters, half of them are his family anyway.' He summed up.
'I don't want to fight Ron, but I think Malfoy deserves to have some freedom. He didn't want to become a Death Eater. It was forced upon him since birth just like destroying Voldemort was forced upon me.'
Ron sat silent for a moment, Harry could literally hear the gears turn in his head as he thought this through. It was evident that he didn't like being outnumbered and Harry could see as he began to see the point and relax his shoulders in defeat. 'So . . . what are we going to do?' He finally said after spinning his spoon around his bowl a few times, filling in the awkward silence.
'I'm going to rock up to Malfoy's hearing.' Harry said plainly.
'What? Just show up?' He said raising an eyebrow.
'Yep.' Harry said grinning. 'Even though I don't like using the title I've been given, I doubt they wouldn't disagree with "the Chosen One".'
Ron shrugged, 'Just to let you know, I'm not going to be there. I can't stand being in the same room as Malfoy.'
'Well then you'll probably have to be at school on your own. I don't doubt Hermione wouldn't come.'
'Speaking of Hermione,' Ron stood up and awkwardly nodded his head in the doors direction, 'I better . . . better go after her.'
Harry nodded his head in understanding and continued to eat his toast. After a few moments a red head came to sit beside him, taking something out of her pockets and putting it on his lap.
'Thanks.' Harry replied, stuffing his Invisibility Cloak back into his pockets.
'Thanks for lending it to me last night.' Ginny said, taking a piece of toast casually off the middle of the table. The many eyes around the room making her have to keep up the charade of them not being together.
She sighed in exasperation and began to butter it, slapping on a chunk of peanut butter on top. 'Transfiguration first.' She said grabbing out her timetable and scanning it, making a few toast crumbs fall onto it, she swiped them away with her hand.
'Mmm, I hope McGonagall doesn't re-think about questioning us about last night.' Harry said quietly.
'She probably won't, she does trust you, you know?' Ginny said pulling the Daily Prophet that Harry had laid down towards her and beginning to scan it.
'I'll be back.' Harry quickly said, picking up his bag and walking down the Gryffindor table towards the mousy haired fifth year.
'Dennis?' Harry said, looking down at him from behind.
Dennis turned around quickly and his eyes grew big, he then cleared his throat and frowned; bringing his eyes back to normal size.
'May I sit?' Harry asked, indicating to the table.
Dennis nodded and moved a little to the side, making some room for Harry on the chair; although there wasn't much.
Harry smiled and took the seat, dropping his bag at his feet.
Dennis smiled politely at Harry before dropping his gaze back to his porridge, the smile still there.
'It's bothering you, isn't it?' Harry said calmly.
Dennis dropped his smile and knotted his eyebrows together. 'I just keep hearing it, ringing in the back of my mind, and I can't help it but Collin keeps coming into my mind.' He picked up a spoon full of his porridge then watched it slip back into his bowl with a plop.
'You're not alone.' Harry said, looking at his folded hands on the table. 'Every night I see their faces. Some I knew and some I didn't. I watch them as they fall, but you know what I tell myself?' He looked Dennis in the eyes and Dennis eventually met his gaze after watching his porridge slip once more. 'Life goes on, and we have a new generation of children to protect and raise. If we're going to grieve our whole lives, then they would have no better of a childhood then we.'
Dennis looked in Harry's eyes for a second before his eyes flickered to something over Harry's right shoulder, then back to his porridge. 'You're right.'
'I'm sorry but I have to get to Transfiguration, otherwise McGonagall . . . well let's just say I've already had a warning.' Harry grinned and Dennis smiled, Harry patted Dennis on his back and walked back up the table. Ginny met him halfway, one piece of toast still in her hand that she was nibbling on.
'I like Dennis. Nice kid.' She was looking past Harry's shoulder at Dennis.
Harry took one swift glance at Dennis over his shoulder and smiled. 'Yeah, he is.'
'Now I want you all to be copying this down and practising it tonight. I'll know whether or not you have practised.' She said eyeing Harry and Ron who still hadn't mastered turning their pigs into working pocket-watches. Harry had sworn he had heard though ticking noises come from inside Ron's pig. This had made Ron's mood enlighten more and by the time the class had ended, he had successfully changed the pig's tail into a golden chain. He continuously said that his pig's name is 'Harry Plopper' with a grin, having drawn on a scar and round glasses.
Harry thought he had seen a smile on McGonagall's face when she passed by them, having taken one look at Ron's pig then scolding him for straying from the designed task.
Knowing Hermione, she had turned hers into a pocket watch just a quarter of the lesson in and had offered to help Ginny. Ginny had successfully changed hers into a pocket watch half an hour before the bell had rung.
Following the Hufflepuff's down to the greenhouses, Harry took his seat next to Ron at the back.
Professor Sprout came in looking really buoyant and shushed the class with a wave of her wand in the air to get their attention.
'Oh, it's always so much fun working with these . . .' She said smiling to herself. 'Okay, today we will be collecting the leaves off Venomous Tentacular's. I want you to all have your dragon hide gloves on and pick a plant.' She motioned to the plants that were resting to the side, 'And when you finish with your plant, come up and I have some others that need pruning. Be warned though, they aren't called Venomous Tentacular's for no reason.' She clapped her hands quickly and smiled as everyone hesitatingly moved towards the moving plants.
Harry paired up with Ron (per usual) and walked over to the plant behind them. It looked fairly big and it kept on making whipping movements. He made sure his gloves were on tightly before shuffling towards it with his clippers in his hands.
'I'll umm, just hold the box.' Ron's voice shook as he eyed the plant that was making threatening movements at Harry.
Harry took one look at Ron, the plant, then Ron again. 'Thanks.'
During the lesson two students were taken up to Madam Pomfrey because they were poisoned. Professor Sprout didn't even reprimand them for swearing so loudly because she said from personal experience "It's awful stuff."
And by the time class was over Harry had cuts up his arm and a couple across his face from the sharp leaves; having made swift movements to protect itself.
Ron on the other hand was unscathed. He seemed to be smiling as they left the greenhouse and back up to the castle. It seemed apparent that Hermione and he had made up because as they left; she held his hand firmly in her own.
Ginny was trailing behind the trio, having caught up with some friends and was holding a conversation with them which she seemed to be very animate about.
The trio grabbed some sandwiches and Ron grabbed some cauldron cakes from the Great Hall before going up to the common room, which up there, lay some homework Hermione said she need to finish. Ron was all too happy to join in with her at the table in the corner of the room where Harry saw Ron every now and again nudge Hermione with his foot.
Harry had pinned up on the notice board the notice for training sessions; they were going to have to train real hard if they wanted to beat the Slytherin's in their first match. Harry secretly hoped that Ron didn't lose his confidence again because if he did then they would have a very close chance of losing.
In potions that afternoon, Slughorn came up to the three of them and asked them if they would like to come to his party later on that night, a smile was plastered on his face.
Ron was beside himself and immediately said yes. Hermione took one look at Ron, rolled her eyes and confirmed that she too would be there. Professor Slughorn looked exceptionally pleased when Harry accepted the invite and was more upbeat the rest of the lesson, even knocking over a few vials here and there in his jubilant mood.
Harry once again made his way over to the store cupboard to look for Bubble Dumb roots when Ginny crouched low to grab something from the bottom shelf. 'Slughorn invite you to the party?' She said quietly.
'Yes.'
'Looks like it.' She smirked as there was another crash and a vial went up in a puff of orange smoke from the other side of the room. Professor Slughorn stuttered as he hastily grabbed out his wand to clean it up.
Ginny stood up from her crouch and pretended to be inspecting her hand full of troll toe nails.
'Are you going?' Harry asked, stalling more time by searching further into the back of the cupboard.
'Yes.' She gave Harry a small smile.
Harry returned it before cautiously looking over his shoulder at Ron who seemed to be having a hard time with his potion and needed Hermione's help. He looked over his other shoulder towards the Slytherin's who seemed to always have at least one person keeping eye contact on him at all times.
'You know if we weren't pretending to hate each other at the moment; I would ask you to come with me to the party. . .' Harry mused quietly.
'Well that doesn't come as much of a surprise. You're so much of a gentleman.' She smirked then walked away back towards her table.
Harry knew he couldn't stall any longer and grabbed the Bubble Dumb roots from the door of the cupboard and walked back towards Ron. Bubble gum pink coloured smoke was slowly rising from his cauldron. Harry looked into it cautiously, after asking Hermione how it was going and saw the milky coloured antidote.
'Nice job.' He praised Ron.
'Thanks.' He beamed. Hermione folded her arms across her chest. 'Oh, though Hermione should get some credit.' He said as he noticed Hermione's stance.
'Well it's great Hermione.' Harry said.
'Thanks.' She replied smiling as she went back over to her own antidote, chucking in the few last remaining herbs after cutting them up.
Harry cut up his own Bubble Dumb roots and chucked them into his, stirring it three times clock-wise then once anti-clockwise then four times clock-wise.
Coming out of Potions, her hair bushier than ever, Hermione gave Ron a peck on the cheek before leaving with Ginny to go to Care of Magical Creatures.
Harry and Ron walked back to the common room together after the misfortune of running into Peeves who had taken to a new sport of stealing student's bags and hanging them off chandeliers
'That bloody Peeves.' Grumbled Ron as he threw his bag on a chair near the orange fire and dropped himself into another. He had cracked egg yolk running down the back of his robes, thanks to Peeves. Ron had refused to have his bag stolen and hung up on one of the many chandeliers in the castle, and after cursing Peeves with three different curses; Peeves had taken action to dumping eggs on him. It wasn't a pretty sight.
'What are you looking at?' Ron snapped to four second years who were staring at him. They instantly turned away and began to whisper to each other. Ron sat there moping and sulking as more and more remaining egg yolk slipped from his head and onto his nose, wiping it away with the sleeve of his robe.
'I hope Hermione likes the smell of eggs.' Harry smirked, 'Because if you want to go to Slughorn's party smelling like some I wouldn't bother to get cleaned up.'
Ron was frozen for a second then leapt from his chair and dashed upstairs to their dorm, coming back down a couple of seconds later with his things and sprinting off towards the bathrooms.
Harry chuckled as he watched Ron hurry away, yolk dripping from his hair and his back wet from it.
While Ron was in the bathrooms Harry mulled things over in his head. He should ask Luna to come to the party with him; it wouldn't be the same without her and if Harry was with her then Ron wouldn't get any ideas about him and Ginny both being dateless for it.
Getting up from his chair, Harry climbed through the portrait hole and made a sprint towards the grounds. Her lesson was about to finish soon and Harry wanted to catch her before she made her way back up to Ravenclaw Tower.
'Luna!' Harry called once he had spotted the blonde near the lake, knee deep in the water.
'Oh, hello Harry, nice to see you.' She smiled sweetly then began to look around the water that was lapping against her kneecaps.
'I was wondering if - have you lost something?' Harry asked, taking in her eyes darting around the dark water.
'Well yes, someone threw my charm bracelet in here and my mother gave it to me.'
'Why don't you just try a summoning charm?'
'Oh, in the end if I can't find it I will, but it's more fun searching for it; I get to say hello to the creatures that live here.' And if on cue she half smiled and waved at the water. 'Hello.' She said dreamily.
Harry got closer to the water's edge, noticing her bag and shoes on the grass.
'Is there something you wanted to ask me?' She said meeting Harry's eyes for a fraction before breaking back to the water.
'What? Oh yeah, I was wondering if you would like to go to Slughorn's party with me?' Harry didn't feel awkward saying it but when he smiled he was sure it looked completely wrong and pathetic.
She looked up and smiled, 'Sure, I would love to.'
'Wonderful!' Harry exclaimed. 'I'll um, meet you then in the Grand Entrance at eight?'
'Okay.' And she continued to look around at her surroundings.
As he was walking back, Harry heard Luna say 'Accio bracelet' and a splash as it left the water and went to her hand.
Who went and saw Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1? I did! XD. I thought it was brilliant! Though they did miss out a few things and I don't know if it was just me (though it probably was) it seemed to go really quickly (even though it was like 2 and a half hours). Maybe it just went really quickly because it blended well together? Leave a review of what you though the movie was (and also the chapter).
Oh and I just want to say that I take no credit in "Harry Plopper" which was used in The Simpson's Movie :)
Story of the Week: When Was The Last Time You? by In The Shadows I Dwell
I honestly can't remember if I already recommended this one? Oh well, If you haven't already checked it out then it doesn't hurt to recommend it again :)
