Harry awoke the next morning to Ron screaming loudly. Harry jerked up and pulled his wand, holding it out at the ready. Ron scrambled out of his bed, taking his covers with him to the floor as he collapsed ungracefully. Seamus and Dean snickered from their side of the room and Neville looked panicked as he clutched his bed sheets.
"What's going on?" Harry asked Seamus, who had his wand pointed in Ron's direction. Following the boy's line of sight, Harry noticed a rather large spider crawling on Ron's canopy.
"Ron's afraid of spiders," Dean explained unnecessarily. "Seamus found out yesterday in the Quidditch stands." Harry couldn't help a chuckle as Seamus banished the spider.
"Me Uncle taught that trick to me," Seamus said, still laughing. "Scares me sister something awful."
With the crisis averted, Harry grabbed his day robes and showered before joining the others in the common room. Ron was now scowling at Seamus who was still snickering in the corner with Dean. Spotting Hermione in the corner reading reminded him he still had a few questions on his Transfiguration homework. Running upstairs he grabbed his book and parchment and joined Hermione.
"Hermione, do you have a moment?" he asked, and she smiled at him when she noticed the book in his hand.
"Sure, Harry, what's the matter?" He sat down next to her and opened the book, pointing to a passage.
"I don't quite get the formula here," he explained. "The process from inanimate to inanimate should be relatively simple, but this one is more complex. Why?" She read the passage to re-familiarize herself and settled into lecture mode.
"Well, the basic premise for turning a coin into a pocket watch would be simple if you didn't want the watch to work. But you have to also transfigure the mechanisms that make the clock keep time. Doing so takes a little more than a simple flick."
"Okay then," Harry said, expounding a little, "but I don't know how a clock works. So how can I do it properly?"
"Magic isn't an exact thing," Hermione admitted, looking a little put-out at the thought. "So as long as you want the clock to work, your magic should supply the rest – hence the complexity of the spell."
"So what happens later when we have to transfigure animals?" Harry asked, a little worried. "What if we do it wrong and the animal winds up inside out or dead or something?"
"That's why we're practicing on inanimate objects first, Harry," she said jovially. After a moments thought, she added, "Perhaps we should add some practical study to our sessions." Harry nodded along, thinking that was a great idea.
"For some subjects, sure," he said, "But we can't in Potions, Herbology, and Astronomy." Hermione agreed and they settled into a comfortable silence as they read.
At lunch time Ron came over and tapped Harry on the shoulder. "We're going to Hagrid's now," he said, "you know, if you want to come." Harry nodded and looked up at Hermione.
"You go ahead, Harry," Hermione said quickly. "I want to finish this chapter before tomorrow's lecture." Ignoring the tension he sensed between the two, Harry followed Ron out the portrait hole and down into the Entrance Hall.
"Ron, do you mind if my brother joins us?" Harry asked tentatively, knowing how much Ron despised Slytherins. True to form, Ron's face turned a shade darker.
"He's a Slytherin!" Ron said matter-of-factly, as if that alone was reason enough to hate him. "He probably doesn't even want to go," Ron tried again, ignoring Harry's dark stare.
"Well it couldn't hurt to ask him," Harry countered. "He might not want to go with you either." Without waiting for Ron, Harry turned in the direction of the dungeons, pausing only for a moment to call back. "We'll meet you there."
Harry walked quickly down to the Slytherin common room, waving at some of the familiar portraits. As he rounded a corner, he stopped in his tracks, his feet frozen to the stone floor. The Bloody Baron hovered in the middle of the hallway, seemingly on the lookout for someone. As soon as he spotted Harry, he floated over slowly.
"Ah, young Mr. Malfoy," the Baron greeted. "You haven't seen Peeves meandering about have you?" Harry shook his head sharply, barely suppressing a shiver. Sir Nicholas was friendly enough, and the Fat Friar too. Harry had had almost no interaction with the Grey Lady of Ravenclaw, and every time he saw Peeves he would just go another way. But the Bloody Baron had been a ghost that Harry had gone out of his way to avoid. He remembered all too well his one and only run-in with the Slytherin ghost, and it hadn't been pleasant.
Flashback:
Seven year old Harry was running through the halls of Hogwarts, an equally young Draco hot on his tail.
"You can't outrun me!" Draco called happily, their feet pounding on the stone floors. Harry thought for a brief moment that Severus would be furious if he caught them running in the halls; even if it were summer-time. But he couldn't care less at that moment as he rounded another corner, then another, before ducking into a dark alcove. Draco rounded the corner and flew past him, determined to find and catch his brother for wrecking his diorama. Harry took the moment to catch his breath, sparing only a moment for his parents vacationing in France. They would be none too happy to discover that the boys were spending most of their time playing and fighting than actually learning.
As soon as he was sure Draco was long gone, Harry darted from the alcove and started back the way he had come. But all the twists and turns he had taken to shake his brother off had gotten him lost. Turning corner after corner wielded no familiar passages, and Harry settled himself down against a wall, sure that Severus would come looking eventually. Pulling his knees up, he wrapped his arms around his legs and placed his head down. Knowing it would do him no good to cry about his situation, he resolved himself to sniffing every now and again, his eyes tracing possible paths out in his head.
Suddenly, a cold breeze descended upon him and Harry looked up…right into the silvery-white face of the Bloody Baron.
"You have been running in my halls," the Baron said in a low, chilly voice. Harry screamed and jumped up, his eyes running over the sunken features and the silvery blood that had named the Baron. Without thinking he lashed out, intent on shoving the offending form away from him. But he passed right through, emerging on the other side of the specter feeling cold all over and still screaming. He didn't stop until he literally ran into Severus rounding a corner. It had taken two cups of cocoa and a lot of persuasion to elicit the entire story from his godfather. Severus, for his part, seemed equally dismayed at the running through his dungeons and amused at the disquiet that the boy's encounter had wrought.
End Flashback
"I haven't seen you in quite some time," the Baron continued talking as if Harry weren't a nervous wreck in front of him. "Although I dare say you boys have learned not to run in the halls?" Harry nodded, a little slower this time. "Very good," the Baron continued. "If you see Peeves, tell him I'm looking for him will you? That's a good lad." And the Baron floated through the wall and was gone. Harry took a deep breath, happy that this experience with the ghost had been less traumatic. Shaking off the sense of dread, he continued his walk to the Slytherin dorms.
Upon picking out the correct wall, Harry knocked loudly. It took a moment for a seventh-year girl to answer, and she eyed Harry and his robes suspiciously. But as soon as she made out his Malfoy crest, she beckoned him inside.
"Looking for Draco, then?" she asked, and Harry nodded. "Wait a sec." She turned to some boys looking over wizard cards in the corner. "Hey Adrian, go get Draco – his brother's here to see him." Adrian scowled at the older girl but stood to do as she asked. Moments later, Adrian returned followed by a very grumpy looking Draco. He scowled at Adrian one last time and sauntered over to Harry.
"What's the matter?" he asked quickly, noting Harry's sour expression.
"Nothing," Harry waved him off, "We were headed down to visit Hagrid. You wanna come?" Draco wrinkled his brow and scoffed.
"Why would I want to go visit him?" he asked, and Harry rolled his eyes. Even as small children, Draco had shown a dislike for the half-giant groundskeeper that Harry often found annoying.
"I don't know," he offered, "Maybe to get out of the castle for a while? Come on. I hear he's got a big dog." Harry gave Draco a knowing glance, trying to get his point across. "Besides, we can try to find out what exactly that dog is guarding. According to his talk with Unc – er, Professor Snape, Hagrid owns the thing or something." Now it was Draco's turn to roll his eyes.
"Let me get my cloak," he said, his voice full of exasperation. Harry shifted from side to side as many of the occupants either glared at him or stared in wonder. Sophie waved to him from the couch, and he found himself smiling and waving back. She returned to her book, so Harry decided not to ask her along. Draco rejoined him and they walked through the dungeons together, Harry still on the lookout for the Baron.
Moments later, both boys were on their way out the front doors and onto the grounds. Hagrid was walking back to his hut, Ron a mere shadow behind him. As they neared, Hagrid looked up and waved, his smile only faltering as Ron said something Harry couldn't make out. Choosing to ignore the youngest Weasley for the moment, Harry waved back at Hagrid and plastered a silly grin on his face.
"Hey, Hagrid," he called.
"Hiya Harry," the overly large man returned, also ignoring Ron's glare. "Great game yesterday, other than that slight mishap." Harry shrugged and waved it off, his focus on Fluffy.
"I've fallen before. Besides, my parents would have caught me," he said confidently. Beside him, Draco shifted his weight and Harry elbowed him discreetly.
"Hello," he greeted them sullenly.
"Well hello, Draco," Hagrid said jovially, as if he didn't realize Draco's feelings. Of course, Draco was too busy glaring at Ron to notice Hagrid's overly friendly tone, so Harry plowed ahead, intent on ignoring both of them. He knew he had to play his cards right, lest Hagrid begin to suspect something.
"Hey Hagrid, have you gotten anything interesting?" Harry asked, knowing the man loved strange and exotic creatures. Predictably, Hagrid's face lit up and he grinned broadly.
"As a matter of fact, Harry, I do. Come on inside." He beckoned the three boys into his hut and bade them sit down. Looking around, nothing seemed out of the ordinary to Harry, except the blanket covering a pot on the fireplace. Draco and Ron took the farthest seats they could find from each other, each refusing to give even an inch. Hagrid pulled a large cage from under the table and set it down. Harry covered his nose immediately at the smell, his face scrunching in disgust.
"Ugh! Hagrid, what are those?" Inside the rather cramped cage were three mice looking creatures – about the size of small dogs – with no tails. They lifted their white sightless eyes and scurried around the cage hungrily, looking for something.
"They're called Ikits; they live underground. They can sense things by sound, see, so they don't need no eyes."
"What are they for?" Draco asked from the large chair by the door, and Hagrid's stance shifted. No longer was he the doting owner of really grotesque giant rats. To Harry, he seemed almost nervous about something.
"Oh," he said, "you know…handy to have around…" Ron laughed from a bench by the fireplace.
"Ikits are bred to feed large animals, aren't they?" he supplied, and Harry's eyes lit up.
"Well, yes," Hagrid said, then quickly shook his head. "Shouldn't have said that…" Harry went in for the kill.
"I was wondering what you were feeding him," he said nonchalantly. "All alone up there on the third floor." Hagrid started forward, nearly toppling the cage over.
"Who told you about Fluffy?" he demanded, then checked his progress. Standing stock still, he took in Harry's wry smile and Draco's interested face. "You two best leave that alone. What's up there is between Professor Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel." His face adopted a defeated expression. "I shouldn't have said that. Off with you now," he shooed them away. "Go play outside, or study, or something." After he shut the door, Ron turned to the Malfoys.
"Way to go," he sneered. "We didn't even have tea." He stormed away and Harry feared he had just lost any progress he had made with the hot-tempered boy. But he felt the information he received was well worth it. Turning to Draco, he began talking as they walked back to the castle.
"Who's Nicholas Flamel? The name sounds familiar." Draco shrugged, his mind on other things.
"You think Weasley will appreciate a spider in his food at dinner?" he asked innocently.
"How do you know about that?" Harry asked astounded, but Draco merely waved him off.
"People talk," was all he said.
"Draco, you can't do anything. Besides, Seamus got him this morning. Leave him be."
"Fine," the blonde boy huffed, "But don't ask me to be your second if he challenges you to a duel." With that, Draco turned in the direction of the dungeons and stalked away, leaving Harry to ponder over his newly acquired information.
Another six weeks of searching wielded no results, and even Hermione admitted that, while the name sounded familiar, she couldn't place it. So Harry put it on the back-burner, his mind focusing on end of term exams. A week before tests, Harry had his second game against Ravenclaw. The female Seeker on the other team was brilliant, but was again no match for Oliver's Nimbus. Harry had asked for a broom for Christmas, including in his plea a list of chores he was willing to accomplish over the summer to earn it.
In the end, Gryffindor had won again, but only just. The Ravenclaw Chasers had been on top form, and an illness that had swept the fifth year boys' dorms had put Oliver off his game. With Ravenclaw ahead by 130 points, Harry caught the Snitch just to end the three hour long massacre. The Gryffindor girls were sulking the rest of the evening, despite Fred and George's attempts at cheering them up.
Harry passed his exams, glad to see that his Transfiguration and History scores were higher than expected. His only bit of sour news was that Ron Weasley was the only other first year Gryffindor staying behind for Christmas. In fact, the entire Weasley clan in attendance at Hogwarts had been furloughed due to an unexpected trip by their parents to Romania to visit their second oldest son, Charlie. So Harry resigned himself to spending some of the Christmas holidays with Ron, thankful at least that he would be spending quite a bit of time with his godfather down in their room.
Christmas Eve found the Malfoy boys in front of a cozy fire, sipping cocoa and talking to Severus about trivial things. They talked Quidditch strategies, and who seemed to be the favored contender for the World Cup. The talk soon turned to the future and what the boys wanted to do. Harry decided that professional Quidditch would be fun for a while, but he really didn't see himself doing that until he was old. Draco, however, had his sights set on the National Dueling Title, and they began discussing the possibility of having a Dueling Club at Hogwarts.
When the clocked chimed midnight, they bid their godfather Happy Christmas and walked swiftly back to their dorms. Severus had insisted that the boys experience their first Christmas at Hogwarts properly, by sleeping in their dorms and waking up to presents the next morning. Harry left himself a reminder to feed Orion the next day before falling into a deep sleep.
Ron's excited voice broke through his drowsiness the next morning as the redhead bounded upon his bed.
"It's Christmas, Harry!" he shouted with the joy of an eleven-year old, their tension completely forgotten in the magic of the holiday. Harry wiped his face and took in the presents at the foot of his bed.
His parents had sent three, including one that looked suspiciously like a broom. Draco's handwriting stood out on the silver wrap of another and it looked as if Severus had sent one as well, though Harry thought it was probably a book judging by the shape and weight. Another package sat atop the others with handwriting he didn't recognize. Picking it up, he shifted it in his hands, trying to determine what it was. Ron tore through two presents, a sweater with a "R" adorning the front and a framed photo of his brother Charlie standing in front of what looked like a dragon. Pulling the sweater over his head, Ron shoved one of his numerous chocolate frogs (his gift from Bill, his oldest brother) into his mouth.
Setting the anonymous package aside, Harry began opening his presents. Severus, as predicted, had gotten him a book on Quidditch tips for Seekers who wanted to turn professional. Draco had gotten Harry a brilliant silver chain with a colored stripe through the center. When Harry put it around his neck, the stripe changed to match the color or his shirt.
Lucius and Narcissa had each sent the broom: a Nimbus 2000. Ron stared enviously at the marvelous item, and Harry set it reverently behind him. With the broom was a note that he was to keep it with Professor Snape unless needed for practice or games. Under no circumstances was he to keep it in his dorms until next year. Lucius had sent both boys full copies of their genealogy as well as a small box of assorted treats. Narcissa had opted for new winter cloaks – green for Draco and red for Harry – and the Malfoy family crest on each of the clasps. Fingering the clasp, he recalled the summer and the constant drilling he and Draco endured to learn their family crest. They had answered questions in turn until their father was satisfied they knew it. In Harry's mind, he could still hear Lucius' queries and the boys' steady answers:
Our motto?
Nemo me impune lacessit - No one provokes me with impunity.
The crest?
A green serpent's head
Meaning?
Wisdom and loyalty
The support?
Two dragons hold up the shield on either side
Meaning?
Protection and valor
The golden chief?
Generosity
The purple shield?
Nobility and justice
The crossed wands?
Magic and power
Say it properly blazoned, beginning with the crest.
A serpent's head erased vert et duos draconus solator
Now the shield.
Purpure, the chief or, two wands in saltire, proper, the sinister surmounted by the dexter.
Again…
Harry's thoughts trailed off as he realized Ron was staring at him. Placing the clasp back on the cloak, Harry folded it carefully and stored it away. Turning back, Harry took in the boy's empty robes on the chair.
"Does the Weasley family have a crest?" he asked finally, and Ron merely shrugged. "Well, you're listed as a half-blood family," Harry said, "But you're as close to pure as Zabini or Bulstrode." Ron scowled at being compared to Slytherins and Harry hastened to diffuse a potentially dangerous explosion. "What I mean is, you should take pride in your family. Some students wear their family crest on their robes," he pointed out, "I'm sure the Weasley family has one."
"Dad might know, but they're in Romania. Maybe Percy knows." Harry saw the eagerness in the other boy and stopped Ron before he went out the door.
"Let's go the library," he said, chuckling at Ron's disheartened look. "There are plenty of books on ancestry and heraldry there; I'm sure we can find it. Won't your brothers be surprised when you walk in with a crest on your robes?" Ron grinned and waited for Harry to pull his winter cloak around him, fastening it with his new clasp. Together they walked swiftly to the library, the anonymous package on Harry's bed completely forgotten.
The library was full of books on heraldry and wizarding families. Harry and Ron had to split up into two separate sections, each gathering books and collecting them on a central table. Finally, they had almost eleven books to delve through and they began with gusto.
The first two were basic books on heraldry that Harry remembered reading at the Manor. Tossing them aside for later when they actually found the crest, the boys each picked up another – Ron a book on wizarding lineages and Harry a book on famous crests.
"Wow, the Weasleys go back a long way!" Ron exclaimed, laying the book out for Harry to see. He glanced at the tree, noting a few instances of Muggle marriages and one Squib. The line wasn't quite as old as the Malfoys, but it was a little older than the Potters.
"That's great," Harry commented. "You should research your ancestors sometime," he advised. "It's really interesting to find out what past generations have done." Harry flipped a page and stopped cold. There, on the left page, was a full illustration of a beautiful crest; the right page detailed the blazon. But Harry's eyes were focused on the bottom of the crest – the place that held the family name.
Flamel, it read and Harry hurried to flip the page. Going through each generation, he finally came upon Nicholas Flamel. Scanning the passages quickly, his heart began to race.
"Nicholas Flamel is a noted alchemist and the only known maker of the Sorcerer's Stone, an artifact that can turn any metal into pure gold and produces an elixir that will make the drinker immortal."
If the Sorcerer's Stone was in the castle, and someone outside knew about it, it was a sure bet that they would be looking for anyway to steal it.
"Something wrong, Harry?" Ron's voice broke through the fog and Harry shook his head quickly. Flipping through the end of the book wielded no results for the Weasley crest and Harry put that book aside as well.
After another half-hour, the doors opened and Draco came through with Sophie and a second year Slytherin boy – the only other two to stay. He eyed Ron and Harry working diligently in the corner and his curiosity got the better of him. Leaving his friends at a nearby table, he glided over and sat down next to Harry.
"What are you doing?" he asked quietly, wondering if Madam Pince was in the library over the holidays.
"Ron wanted to know about his family crest," Harry supplied, knowing Ron wouldn't. Draco smiled and looked down at his own clasp and cloak, noting Harry had his on as well.
"We'll send out thank you cards tomorrow," Draco offered, and at Harry's nod departed for the other table to begin his History essay. But the other two Slytherins had heard what Harry and Ron were doing and they soon became very interested in researching their own crests. And so the hunts began until it was time for breakfast. The headmaster himself came looking for them when they did not show, and he was trailed by Fred, George, and Percy.
"Where have you been?" Percy demanded, and Harry and Ron looked up guiltily.
"We've been in here!" Ron exclaimed. "Honest! Is it time to eat?" his voice lilted up eagerly and the rest of the assembled gave a low chuckle.
"It is indeed time for breakfast," Dumbledore informed them, and the five of them left the books out to return after they had eaten.
In the Great Hall, the rest of the Christmas stay-overs barely gave them a glance as the five students trailed the headmaster to the one long table. Draco and Harry took seats next to Severus, while Ron tried get as far from the potions master as he could manage.
"What were you boys up to that kept you from breakfast?" Severus asked as he filled his plate, dropping some fresh fruit on Harry's. Harry shot the man a mirthful glare and pointedly popped an orange slice into his mouth and ate it before answering. He glanced at Ron for silent permission before beginning.
"Ron was interested in his family crest. I was just helping him find it in the library. Draco, Sophie, and…um…" Harry looked at Draco, then at the second year that had sat across from them.
"Graham Mockridge," the boy introduced himself, "My dad's the Head of the Office for Goblin Liaisons." Harry nodded and continued.
"…and Graham came in. Once they saw what we were doing, they wanted to find their crests as well."
"It is always satisfying to know your family's history," McGonagall put in.
"Does your family have a crest, Professor?" Ron asked his Head of House, and the witch smiled blissfully.
"As a matter of fact, Mr. Weasley, we do," she pulled her wand and waved it over her robes, and an elegant blue crest with scales and griffon supporters appeared on her right breast. The headmaster smiled at his deputy headmistress and waved his wand as well, showing the proud Dumbledore crest with a dragon emblazoned on a golden shield, supported by two fire-red phoenixes.
"I think everyone should wear them," Draco said proudly, and Dumbledore thought for a moment.
"What do you think, Minerva?" he asked jovially. "Do you think it would hurt the inter-house relations?"
"No," Harry said suddenly, smiling sheepishly at Severus' stern glare for interrupting. But the headmaster's eyes merely twinkled with merriment as they focused upon Harry.
"Go on, dear boy," he urged, and Harry sat up a little straighter.
"Um…well, if anything it should help relationships between the houses," he said. "I mean, it's really interesting to hear the history behind the crests, and I'm sure if everyone displayed them, there would be more communicating between all of us." Some of the teachers nodded, but a few still seemed wary.
"What of those that are not 'pure,'" one said, as if he were defending his own blood-line. "Won't that give the pro-purity backers more firepower?"
"The crests do not denote purity or lack thereof," Dumbledore countered. "And I'm sure those few that are 'pro-purity' as you call it do not need more fire-power."
"He's right," Severus added. "Many pureblood families school their children on wizarding families. I wouldn't be surprised if either mister Malfoy here could tell the Ministry status of almost any student in their year."
"What about the muggle-born, though?" a fourth-year Hufflepuff spoke up. "We don't have family crests." A murmur of acknowledgement went up before Harry merely shrugged.
"So make one," he said simply, which sent a new wave of murmurs.
"That is an excellent idea, Harry," McGonagall praised, causing Harry to blush. Draco smirked at his brother's embarrassment before Harry kicked him under the table. Harry noticed Severus' hand closed a little more tightly on his glass and wisely refrained from further retaliation against Draco in the presence of others.
"Very well, that's settled. Make it a Christmas project, the lot of you," he looked around the table. "When the students returned from their break, we will encourage them to spend their free time researching their family history and crest. We will also encourage them to display the crest on their robes once they find it." Harry smiled and nodded, giving Ron a thumbs-up before returning to his breakfast.
With the help of the Slytherins and the rest of the Weasleys, it didn't take long to locate the Weasley family crest. Harry laid the book open in front of Ron to allow him to take it in. Ron merely stared at the page for a moment, not believing his eyes.
Standing in a field of red was a mighty lion, its mouth open mid-roar. A single wand stretched horizontally across the top of the shield, indicating the Weasley's magical heritage. There were no supporters, but a helm from a suit of armor made the crest above the shield, noting the family's status as one who had acted in time of war. The motto Acta non verba sprawled across the top of the entire crest, causing Percy to set his lips primly and Fred and George to chuckle.
"What?" Harry asked them, and Fred pointed to the motto.
"'Action not words' it says,"
"Knows the Weasley family well," George added. Harry joined them in their amusement before turning to help Sophie with hers.
Hours later, Ron and Harry returned to Gryffindor Tower completely exhausted. Their minds were racing with colors, symbols, mottoes, and meanings. To tired for anything else, Harry flopped down on his bed, groaning when a lump embedded itself into his ribs. Rolling over, he pulled the forgotten package out and stared at it. The simple note left on it gave him no clue as to who had sent it, but one thing was clear: it had been his father's. Something in Harry's heart told him the person was not speaking of Lucius but of James Potter, and Harry felt his adrenaline begin pumping. Suddenly he was wide awake and carefully peeling the wrapping off.
Inside was a beautiful cloak made of the finest silk, and Harry ran his fingers over the delicate fabric reverently. Taking it out completely, he admired how it shimmered in the light.
"Whatcha got there, Harry?" Ron asked around a mouthful of chocolate.
"Dunno," Harry replied. "But it belonged to my father." At Ron's look, Harry hastily added, "My biological father, James Potter." Ron stood up and joined Harry at the side of his bed.
"Well go on then, let's see." Harry swung the large cloak around him, pulling it tight around his neck. Suddenly, his body vanished completely and Ron was left staring at Harry's disembodied head.
"Bloody hell!" he exclaimed, "Harry, that's an invisibility cloak!" Harry's face split into a huge grin as he pulled the cloak away revealing his body once more. He frowned as he realized he was faced with two decisions. He could tell Severus and his parents and possibly get the cloak taken away, or he could keep it a secret and cherish this gift from his birth parents.
"What's the matter?" Ron asked at Harry's look, and Harry explained his train of thought. "Oh, don't tell them!" Ron advised. "It's not like you'll use it to get into trouble," the boy added. "You should have it. It was your birth father's after all." Harry nodded along, letting the other boy talk him into his decision. Folding it up carefully, he stuffed it into the bottom of his trunk and climbed into bed.
"I'm going to take a nap before dinner. Wake me in a few hours." Ron nodded absently and turned back to his chocolate and his book on the history of the Chudley Cannons.
Really sorry this is so late. But I had to go to Louisiana to qualify for the National Karate Championship. I've been busy with training. Now that I've qualified I'll be even busier, but I promise to try and update this frequently. Sorry again and please let me know what you think. I'm not really happy with this hasty ending, and I may go back and work it out.