Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter, and under no circumstance do I claim ownership to the series.
Chapter 37: Vacationing
A/N: WOO HOO FIRST CHAPTER OF BOOK THREE! I'm super excited! This chapter was mostly them on vacay and stuff, but the next will be Aunt Marge's Big Mistake (dun dun duuuuuun!)
Also, my poll is closed, Cedric and Astoria stayed tied, so they'll both be diabetics :D It'll be mentioned a few times, maybe explained a bit, and you know. Idk it would just feel really nice to have some representation of my disease. If any of you want different disease or etc representation, go ahead and tell me and I could try to make it work :)
(To make sure no one gets confused: when there's a sentence/paragraph, with some words in italics and then after some (**words in brackets with asterisks like this) then that is the translation of the French to English (in brackets) Sorry about translation; I got some of it from Google Translate, and some of it is definitely Canadian French)
Umm, thanks for reading~!
Evanna Potter smiled widely when she saw Hedwig returning towards her window. She had sworn to her uncle that she wouldn't send any letters to her friends, so that she would be able to let Hedwig out of her cage, but after knowing the Weasleys for around two years now, do you expect her to actually keep her word? She would definitely have kept her word if it had been anyone else, but Uncle Vernon was a different story.
Hedwig had brought back four letters today; three from Egypt (why Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny didn't just make one big letter, she would never understand) and one from France. Evanna gave Hedwig an extra treat and began to read the letters in the light of the full moon, starting with Ron's.
Hey Evanna! (Evanna had always enjoyed reading the Weasleys letters, as they each used a different coloured ink. Today Ron's was maroon.)
I'm doing great; Egypt is fantastic! Bill showed us around and there are a ton of cool pyramids and tombs and stuff! We got to see a bunch that Muggles can't, you know, the wizarding ones. They all have a bunch of curses that make Muggles grow extra heads and whatever. Fred and George tried to lock Percy in one today; I expect they'll tell you more about it in their letter.
I hope that one day you could meet Bill and Charlie. I think you'd like them. Charlie would be able to give you Quidditch tips, even more than the twins because he was a Seeker too. One of the best there was, in fact! But I think you knew that? Oh, and Bill is the best, he knows all the coolest facts and stuff, and he's a curse breaker, which is probably the coolest job, after an auror, of course.
Oh yeah, I'll definitely send you something for you birthday, it's coming up soon isn't it! I hope the Muggles are treating you well.
Don't let the Muggles get you down,
Ron
Evanna grinned happily, moving on the Fred and George's letter. It had two different colours of ink, magenta for Fred and blue for George. Evanna liked how their handwriting was different, but so similar that it was almost impossible to tell without the ink changes.
Vanna/Eva
We're glad that our lock picking teachings have been put to good use; of course stealing your sketchbook back is a worthy cause! You without your sketchbook is like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without peanut butter!
Or a pickle and cheese sandwich without the pickles! Also, we're very proud of you. Breaking the rules is always fun! Guess what? We tried to lock Percy in a pyramid today. It was one with a ton of curses and stuff.
But Mum caught us, which was too bad. We were hoping he would come out with extra appendages! (Good word, Forge.)(Thank you, Gred.)
Anyways, we're really excited to see you at Hogwarts this year. I think George might have a surprise for youFRED SHUT UP! Okay, fine, whatever.
Love from, Fred and George Weasley
Evanna chuckled. Those two were impossible. She was happy to see that Ginny had written a letter too, in green ink.
Dear Evanna,
I'm doing alright. I'll be honest with you, a few more PTSD symptoms have shown up. Now, not only do I have nightmares and insomnia, but I also had my first flashback a couple days ago. I could've sworn it was real, it was so scary.
But I'm fine now. (I do have a fear of writing in black ink, thinking he's going to respond, is that bad?) I just hope I don't have another one.
Oh, and thanks for asking my brothers to help me through this, they're really great. Fred and George can help me go back to sleep after nightmares really well and Ron is really helpful with my insomnia. George was super helpful during my flashback too.
From, Ginny
Evanna frowned slightly. "Oh, I hope Ginny will be alright," she sighed, before turning to the final letter in her hands.
Bonjour Evanna! (**Hello Evanna!)
Ça va bien, merci! (**I'm doing fine, thank you!) (I'm learning French; I know, you're probably rolling your eyes right now like, "Hermione, always after education." Well, all I have to say to that is: tais-toi!) (**shut up!)
I'm learning loads of things besides the language too, the history is fascinating! I believe that there's another wizarding school around somewhere too, I've noticed a few people with wands concealed in their pockets or sleeves.
Today we're going to visit the Eiffel Tower. I'll send you photographs in my next letter (not moving ones unfortunately). I hope you're doing well!
Avec amour, (**With love,)
Hermione
Evanna grinned widely, immediately working on her many responses.
"Hedwig's back!" Ron called over to his siblings. It was very nice of Evanna to let them use Hedwig to send their replies, as Errol might faint over the water and that would be very bad.
Fred, George and Ginny ran up to each get their respective letters, as Percy, Charlie and Bill looked on in amusement.
"It's nice that Evanna is friends with them," Percy admitted. "She's an amazingly kind girl. It's hard to see a bad side in her. I think it does them good to have a friend like that."
"I'd like to meet her sometime, especially after hearing all of these stories," Bill said. "Facing You-Know-Who twice within the last two years alone, she must be a magnet for trouble."
"Look at George," Charlie murmured, nudging his brothers.
George's face was soft, with a large smile gracing his lips as he read the letter Evanna had sent. He looked like he was the most contented person in the world. In other words, he looked like he was in love.
"If he isn't head over heels for this girl, he's doing a good job of faking it," Bill grinned. He turned to Charlie. "Bet you five sickles that he asks her out before the end of the year."
Charlie laughed. "You're on!"
Percy frowned. "I don't think that betting on them is the best idea . . ."
"Of course, it is," Bill said dismissively. "But that's why I didn't ask you to bet too, Perce!"
Percy folded his arms with a humph. He didn't think either Evanna or George would be very happy if they found out about this.
Hermione pushed through the crowded streets of Paris, tears in her eyes. She had lost her parents! When they were coming down the Eiffel Tower, they had been behind her and she had kept going and now she didn't know where they were!
She was trying not to cry as she headed for a slightly less crowded fountain, sitting on the edge. If she could use magic, she'd be able to find them for sure! But right now, her best bet was to get help from one of the locals to find her hotel again.
"Excusez-moi, parlez-vous anglais?" she asked the girl beside her tearfully. (**Excuse me, do you speak English?)
The girl turned to face her, revealing one of the most beautiful girls that Hermione had ever seen. "Oui. Oh! Are you alright?" (**Yes.)
"I'm lost and can't find my parents, would you be able to help me find my hotel?" Hermione asked pleadingly.
"But of course," the girl said kindly. "Je m'appelle Fleur, Fleur Delacour. Et toi?" (**My name is Fleur, Fleur Delacour. And you?)
"Je m'appelle Hermione Granger," Hermione told her, and then told her the name of the hotel she had been staying at. (**My name is Hermione Granger.)
After nearly thirty minute of walking through crowds, with Fleur gripping Hermione's hand tightly so that she wouldn't get lost yet again, they made it to Hermione's hotel. Hermione knew that this was where her parents would look for her first, so this is where she had to be.
"Merci beaucoup, Fleur!" Hermione cried. (**Thank you so much, Fleur!)
"Anytime, 'Ermione," Fleur smiled kindly. "I 'ope you find your parents alright."
"Thank you! Au revoir!" Hermione waved as she entered the hotel, and she couldn't help but hope that she would see Fleur again sometime. (**Goodbye!)
Evanna happily received several letters when she was an hour into being thirteen years old. Three owls, five packages, and one Hogwarts letter. Evanna allowed Errol into Hedwig's cage and took the first parcel from him.
It contained the news clipping of the Weasleys in Egypt, a nice letter from Ron, and a Pocket Sneakoscope, which Ron explained was a device that would light up and spin when somebody untrustworthy was around. Evanna grinned widely as she moved onto the next package.
The twins had given her a letter, which included her name in hieroglyphics, and some beautiful jewelry, a necklace from George and a bracelet from Fred. Ginny had also written Evanna a letter and given her a present, a few cute t-shirts that Evanna loved.
Hermione had written Evanna a rather lengthy letter, wishing her happy birthday and also describing how she had met a kind French girl named Fleur Delacour, plus she had also gotten Evanna a Broomstick Servicing Kit, via owl order.
Each of them had mentioned how Percy had been made Head Boy at least once. Evanna could only imagine how ecstatic the eldest Weasley, the eldest who was still attending Hogwarts at least, was to find out.
The final parcel was from Hagrid. It had to be from him, considering how it snapped and fidgeted as if it were alive and angry. Hagrid would never, of course, give Evanna anything dangerous on purpose, but considering his previous track record . . .
Evanna glanced around from something she could use as a weapon, other than her wand (underage magic could get her expelled of course, as proven by Dobby last year), finally settling on her lamp. She raised it, ready to strike should she need to, and ripped open the parcel.
A book dropped out and for a moment, Evanna lowered her weapon in confusion. But the lamp was back up in a second once she had glimpsed the cover: The Monster Book of Monsters. Suddenly, it flipped over to its side, scuttling along her bed like some weird crab.
"Ah!" She tried to hit it with her lamp, but only managed to hit it off the bed.
The book scuttled across the room, until finally settling underneath her desk. She sighed with resignation and reached under to get it, only to give a small yelp of pain when the book slammed shut on her hand. The book began to go across the room again, and Evanna pounced on it, flattening it beneath her. She held the book tightly shut in her arms, tying it closed with a belt.
"Ugh," She sighed, falling backwards onto her bed, reading Hagrid's letter, hoping for an explanation of why he gave her a biting-book.
Dear Evanna,
Happy Birthday!
Think you might find this useful for next year. Won't say no more here. Tell you when I see you.
Hope the Muggles are treating you right.
All the best,
Hagrid
Evanna laughed half-heartedly. "Why on earth would this book be helpful?" she muttered, before grabbing up the final envelope, the letter from Hogwarts. It was a bit thicker than usual, but then Evanna remembered the twins talking about Hogsmeade, so maybe it explained something about that.
Dear Miss Potter,
Please note that the new school year will begin on September the first. The Hogwarts Express will leave from King's Cross station, platform nine and three-quarters, at eleven o'clock.
Third years are permitted to visit the village of Hogsmeade on certain weekends. Please give the enclosed permission form to your parent or guardian to sign.
A list of books for next year is enclosed.
Yours sincerely,
Professor M. McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
"A permission slip?"
Evanna felt her happy feeling from moments before disappear completely. There was no way she'd ever convince her uncle or aunt to sign this. They loved to torment her, and letting her go out to a fun village with her friends was not something they would want to allow. Maybe she could trick them into signing it. They had tricked Lockhart last year, after all.
"Optimism. Be optimistic, Evanna," she reminded herself, before snuggling into bed (it was two in the morning after all). She would worry about Hogsmeade tomorrow.
"Sirius Black?" Ginny looked over at her brothers in confusion. They were eavesdropping on an important conversation that their parents and older brothers were having. Apparently, someone named Sirius Black had escaped from Azkaban. "Who's Sirius Black?"
"Listen and maybe we'll find out," George shushed, putting his ear back to the door. "Ugh, it's so hard to hear anything!"
Fred snapped his fingers, obviously with a new thought. "What if we made something that could help you eavesdrop better?" he asked, looking at his twin happily. "It could be like a new ear that can amplify the sound and — "
"Shh!" Both Ron and Ginny hissed, pressing their ears more firmly to the door.
"Escaping Azkaban is impossible though!" Bill had just exclaimed, and the younger siblings could only imagine the look of incomprehension and disbelief on his face.
"That's what we all believed," Dad said. "But he has somehow escaped. Your mother and I thought that you three should know, to keep an eye out, you know. But we don't want your younger siblings to be scared. So just, don't let them know yet. It'll be in the Prophet soon I would think, but I just don't want this to ruin anyone's vacation. Black is far, far away from Egypt, so nobody should be worrying now. Including you three."
"Dad," Charlie started uncertainly, "does anyone know why Black escaped? I mean, does he have a motive? Pettigrew is dead, and that's obviously who he was chasing the first time — "
"Shh," Percy said suddenly. There was a long pause in which the four outside the door began to realize what was happening. Before they could move, footsteps strode quickly across the room and the door was flung open.
"Hey, Charlie!" Ginny said, with an innocent smile.
He smiled back at her, then slammed the door again. Ron let out a curse when it nearly hit him in the nose.
They waited with bated breath for a few moments, wondering what would happen next. Finally, Fred pressed his ear to the door yet again. "Damn! They put an Imperturbable Charm on the door!"
"Ugh!" George groaned, flopping backwards onto the floor in irritation. "I wonder if Charlie was right about a motive?"
"I hope n — " Ron paused. "Wait, no. I hope he does. Then he probably won't bother us, right?"
"Oh yeah, true," Fred agreed.
None of them bothered adding that maybe his target was one of them.
Hermione was now on very good terms with Fleur Delacour. They had met again when Hermione's family had went to the Louvre, and Fleur showed them around. She had a massive love of art and nature, and saw the beauty in many things. Hermione felt that she and Evanna would get along well.
Now today, they had actually planned another meeting, by a nice quiet park that Fleur liked. There were a few booths with vendors, who kept asking Hermione if she would like to buy anything, or paint pictures for money, which she had politely declined, sitting down on a bench to wait for Fleur. She was positive this was the right place . . .
"'Ermione!"
Hermione grinned up at her new French friend. "Fleur!"
They embraced happily.
"It is so great to see you," Hermione said truthfully. "With all of my friends from school back in England, I was so glad to meet you and, most importantly, become friends with you!"
Fleur smiled widely. "It was great to become your friend too, 'Ermione. A lot of my friends from school are away on 'oliday or live too far away."
Hermione glanced around. "I can see why you like this park. It's peaceful, despite the vendors."
"It is, isn't it?" Fleur said, also looking around. "My little sister loves it 'ere." She turned back to Hermione. "Now, 'ow is your français coming along?" (**French)
"Attendez! Tu as une sœur?" Hermione asked, a bit surprised at this new information. She had thought Fleur was an only child, since she was never travelling with her family. (**Wait! You have a sister?)
"Bien fait, votre français est améliorent! Aussi, oui," Fleur replied. (**Well done, your french is improving! Also, yes.)
"When can I meet her?" Hermione asked. "I'd love to meet your family, you've met mine!"
Fleur stopped. "Tu ne peux pas." (**You can't/You can not.)
"Well, why not?" Hermione insisted. "I won't judge you, I promise. If it's your religion or something — "
"Non, non, it's just . . ." Fleur stammered, wondering how she could tell Hermione that her family lived in a magical community without revealing that they were magic. "Zey are not exactly . . . normal. You would not like zem."
"I'm sure they're wonderful people," Hermione argued. "What's the real reason you don't want me to meet them?"
"I would 'ave to obliviate you if you did!" Fleur hissed fiercely, then seemed to realize what she had said. "No wait, obliviate is ze wrong word, I do not know the Eenglish word for zat — "
Hermione gasped excitedly. "No, Fleur, I know what you mean! I go to Hogwarts!"
"'Ogwarts? Ze British wizarding school?" A smile was growing wider on Fleur's face. "Amazing! So you are a witch zen?"
"Yes! I'm going to be in my third year this September," Hermione said. "But I'm a Muggle-born, which is probably why you didn't realize. A lot of wizards and witches who I know aren't that good in public places."
Fleur laughed. "I know ze feeling! My parents stay very strictly in wizarding communities. I'm trying to teach my sister 'ow to not attract attention in Muggle communities."
"So then you must go to Beauxbatons," Hermione concluded.
"Oui. I am in my sixth year. My sister, she is only seven, so she is not attending school yet," Fleur said.
"Wow, we suddenly have loads more to talk about now," Hermione grinned.
"Now say zat in French!"
Hermione sighed in exasperation as Fleur laughed; maybe getting Fleur to help her learn French was not her best idea.
A/N: I KNEW SINCE BOOK 1 THAT I WANTED HERMIONE AND FLEUR TO BE FRIENDS AND SHE WENT TO FRANCE ON VACATION IN THE THIRD BOOK SO HERE'S SOME SET UP OOOOH!
Please review! ~Jayce