So, I'm not sure if you took a look at the fanart on deviantart yet. If not, the link is still on my profile and I just posted it on my tumblr (link is in my profile).
This is the last chapter before Darcy's fifth year. From this point on, everything is going to start picking up and will gradually get a darker feel to it.
I hope you like it!
Chapter Fifty-One: Summer Four
Prefects and Trials
A couple weeks later, we were back into the swing of things. Mum would leave for the ministry early in the morning and return late at night. It was on one of those nights after dinner that Seamus and I heard a familiar hoot come from the kitchen.
"Sounds like Colin 'as returned." I said, standing up to find him.
Seamus looked up from our game of Exploding Snaps, "See if Fay's written to me, yeah?"
"Alright." I chuckled. I found Colin nibbling at a bit of bread and a large pile of letters beside him. For me, letters from Fred, George, Fay, Fleur and Hogwarts were all waiting. Seamus had three from Fay, Dean, and Hogwarts.
"Oi! Our 'ogwarts letters are 'ere." I said.
Seamus came running into the kitchen. "Excellent!" He ripped open the letter and read off the book list.
Fifth Year students will require:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 5) by Miranda Goshawk
Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard
I laughed while Seamus complained at how stupid the second book sounded while I opened my Hogwarts letter. Inside, I found the book list, an additional letter from Professor Flitwick, and...
"Bloody 'ell..." I whispered.
"Wha' is it?" Seamus asked.
With a shaking hand, I held up a shiny, new Prefects badge. "I'm a prefect."
"Read the letter!"
Dear Miss Finnigan,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected to serve as Prefect for Gryffindor House. Your school record shows that you have exhibited quick-thinking in stressful situations, the ability to lead others, and the bravery that Gryffindors have long been lauded for.
We are certain that you will continue to be a model for your peers and will take your new responsibilities seriously. Enclosed please find your Prefects Badge, which should be worn on your school robes at all times. Congratulations!
Sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Head of Gryffindor House
Seamus grinned, "Wow! I didn' t'ink you 'ad a chance!" I glared at him so he continued, "I mean. I t'ought it would be a close call between you and Hermione."
"Oh, poor Hermione." I said, "She must be so disappointed. I wonder who the other one is."
"Probably Harry..." Seamus grumbled. "I don' want you 'angin' around 'im. 'e could kidnap you and 'old you 'ostage."
I rolled my eyes, "I'll be completely fine, Seamus. Maybe 'e won' be the prefect.."
"Don' be so naïve, Darcy." Seamus said. "If Dumbledore and Harry are in cahoots, its more than likely that 'e's been made prefect."
I sighed, "I guess yer right." Turning my attention to my other letters, I opened the one from Fred.
Dear Blackbird,
George told me all about the wedding. Sounds terribly boring. You're telling me nothing of interest happened? All that would have been different if I was there, wouldn't it?
As for Fleur and her sudden feelings for Bill...that's really weird. Who'd want his ugly arse when I'm so much more appealing? I mean, who wouldn't want me?
Guess what? Ickle Ronnie-kins has been made a Prefect! We're all terribly ashamed, George and I especially. There's no bigger disgrace. Hermione is absolutely distraught at not being made the other prefect. How much do you want to bet that she'll murder the girl who got the badge? George have five sickles!
See you soon, birdy!
Fred
I grinned after I read Fred's letter. "Ron's been made Prefect! It's not Harry after all!" I cried. "And I was right, Hermione is depressed and as soon as she she's me with the badge she'll murder me."
Seamus smiled, "Sounds about right. And Ron? Are you sure? Sounds like a prank."
I smirked, "Maybe, but it's still Ron." I opened George's letter next.
Dear Darcy,
Have you died of boredom yet? I'm sure you have since your life is pretty dull without me. I'm kidding, of course. Your ice powers probably keep your life interesting enough.
I'm sure Freddie told you that ickle Ronnie-kins has been made a Prefect. It's disgusting. I'll bet you anything that he'll try to get a bunch of nice and expensive things from Mum nad Dad.
I had a really nice time at the wedding. I don't know if I ever told you that. It was cool meeting all of your family. You were right, I really like Rory. He's almost as good as Fred and I at pranks. I didn't tell Fred since I didn't want to hurt his already hurting ego. Keep that to yourself.
I miss you. I'm finding it hard to go through a single day without you. I know I've told you that before. But, I like thinking about the blush you'll have on your face as you read this. Don't let Fred know I wrote that. He'll tease me until the end of time. Still, it's true.
I'll see you very soon, Darcy.
Love,
George
"George misses me." I said, nonchalantly, opening Fay's letter.
Seamus growled under his breath, "'e better not miss you too much."
I stuck my tongue out at him and bent down to read Fay's short but sweet letter.
Dear Darcy,
How are you? I'm wonderful. Although, Mum has been panicking recently. I'm not exactly sure what for.
Despite that, I thought you should know that I could have really used your ice this week. It was insanely hot. I'm not sure if it was in Ireland but I almost burnt to a crisp here.
I'm sorry I can't write much more, Mum has been demanding more of my attention recently.
Love,
Fay
I chuckled, "The poor bastards in Britain just had a heat wave. Lucky for us it was perfectly perfect here."
Seamus nodded, then gagged as he face one of his letters, "Oh God."
"What?!" I cried, running over.
Seamus shook his head with closed eyes, "it's Dean..."
"Dean! Is he dead?!"
"No, stupid! It's worse..." Seamus mumbled. "He has a girlfriend."
"Girlfriend!" I shouted, "That's brilliant! Why do you think that's horrible?"
"Because, now he'll be spending all his time with that girl and not enough with me!"
I laughed, "Awww, is someone jealous?"
Seamus' face brightened, "No, of course not. I'm just angry."
"Who's the lucky lass?" I asked.
Seamus shrugged, "Don' know. He didn' say."
I smiled, "I guess all we can do now is wait until school resumes."
I read the other letters. Fleur was basically just talking about her infatuation with "William". Professor Flitwick's letter was merely reminding me that if I had any interest in going into a profession that involved Charms I was going to have to get very good marks on my O.W.L.s this year. I crumpled up the paper and threw it into the fire.
"Whatcha do that fer?" Seamus cried.
"I'm not going into a stupid profession that involves Charms. In fact, I'll do everything in my power to avoid it."
Seamus thought quietly for a moment. "I always thought you'd make a good teacher. Like, maybe if you were a professor at something you were actually good at. Maybe Potions."
I laughed, "I don't think Snape's giving up his position anytime soon."
Seamus shrugged, "You never know. He's been waiting for the DADA slot for years. Eventually Dumbledore is going to run out of teachers and he'll have to give it to Snape."Just as he said this, we heard the front door open and close.
"Mum?" I called.
She stepped into the kitchen, "Hey, kids. How was yer evenin'?"
"Great, Mum." I said, "Guess who was made a Prefect!"
Her face brightened, "Darcy! 'ow wonderful! I'm so proud! I always knew you'd be made Prefect! This is fantastic!"
Seamus said, "I love you too, Mum."
The next morning, Mum came downstairs with a chip on her shoulder.
"Why're you so 'appy?" Seamus asked.
She smiled, "Well, today the Wizengamot is 'aving a 'earing for Harry Potter. He used magic in front of a Muggle."
"What?" I asked incredulously. I had a hard time believing Harry would be that dumb.
"Yes, and now e's under threat of expulsion from school. I'm hoping we vote in favor of it. Then, I won't feel so 'orrible sending you back there."
I bit my lip, "Do you mind if I tag along? I mean, sit in and listen? Harry's my friend and if 'e does get kicked out...I want to comfort him."
Mum smiled sweetly, "I'll have to ask the MInister, but it should be fine. Seamus would you like to come?"
"Sure, let me just get dressed yeah?" He was still clad in his boxers and bare chest that he went to bed in. I have a really hard time imagining sleeping in only my undergarments. How do boys do it?
" 'ow's George?" Mum asked as we waited for Seamus.
" 'e's fine. I got a letter from 'im yesterday."
"Do you send letters often?"
I nodded, "Yeah, all the time."
She licked her lips, "Do I have to have the conversation with you?"
I blinked, "What do you mean?"
She sighed, "I suppose I do. Sex is a very special thing, Darcy. You have to be sure about what you're doing. It's different for girls than for boys...although after Hogwarts I was quite a magnet for situations like that-"
"Gross, Mum!" I said, "Yes, thank you. I know all about sex. I know its important to wait until I'm absolutely in love with someone who loves me just as much."
"Have you told 'im you love 'im?"
I nodded, "It was during Easter 'oliday."
Tears came to her eyes, "It seems like only yesterday I was in the kitchen with your pudgy hands wrapped around my neck. That was where you would stop crying. All I 'ad to do was open to freezer and stand by it and you'd stop crying. It was so strange. But adorable. Anyway...I never thought I' live to see the day that you...my baby girl...fell in love. And much less with a Weasley! It's wonderful. I always knew I would never lose connections with Molly. And here we are...two of our children in love..."
I bit my lip and hugged her, "It's okay, Mum. I'm still your little girl. Just like Seamus is still your little boy."
"Hey!" Seamus cried, running into the room, "I'll 'ave you know I've grown three whole inches this summer. Three! I'm finally taller than you!" He said, pointing at me.
"Shut up." I said, "It's not our fault that we were born with a short gene."
Mum chuckled, "Well, we best be off. Shall we take the floo?"
The court room was a dark and musty place. Around a hundred wizards and witches sat in their robes behind the Minister's place at the front of the courtroom.
Seamus and I sat across from them, the only other witnesses to the trial. Harry had entered the room a few minutes before and was now sitting nervously in the chair in the middle of the room.
Minister Fudge banged his gavel on the wood and began, "Disciplinary hearing of the 12th of August into the offenses committed by Harry James otter resident at #4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey. Interrogators, Cornelius Oswald Fudge-"
Suddenly, Dumbledore came into the room, "Witness for the defense, Albus Percival Wulfric...Brian...Dumbledore."
Fudge pursed his lips, "You, you got our message that the time and place of the hearing had been changed, did you?"
Dumbledore smiled devilishly, "I must have missed it. But by a happy mistake I arrived at the Ministry three hours early... The charges?"
"The charges against the accused are as follows; that he did knowingly and in full awareness of the illegality of his actions produced a Patronus charm in the presence of a Muggle. Do you deny producing said Patronus?"
I stifled a gasp. I didn't know Harry was strong enough or even smart enough to produce a Patronus charm.
"No, I-" Harry began.
Fudge interrupted him, "And you were aware that you were forbidden to use magic outside of school while under the age of seventeen?"
"Yes, but-"
"Witches and wizards of the Wizengamot-"
"I was only doing it because of the Dementors!" Harry cried.
It was deathly quiet in the room. No one dared make a sound for several moments.
"Dementors? In Little Whinging?" Amelia Bones said.
Fudge chuckled, "That's quite clever. Muggles can't see Dementors, can they boy? Highly convenient."
Harry looked incredulous, "I'm not lying, there were two of them and if I hadn't-"
Fudge interrupted Harry again, "Enough! I'm sorry to interrupt what I'm sure would have been a very well rehearsed story, but since you can produce no witnesses of the event-"
Just when I was sure Harry was doomed to be sentenced to expulsion, Dumbledore spoke up.
"Pardon me Minister, but as it happens we can."
Fudge stared loathingly down at Dumbledore. "Fine, bring them forward."
The next minute Harry was sitting in the bleachers beside Seamus and I. A thin woman who was announced as Mrs. Figg took Harry's seat in the center of the room.
Amelia Bones led the questioning, "Please describe the attack. What did they look like?"
Mrs. Figg licked her lips nervously, "Well one of them was rather large, and the other rather skinny."
I chuckled quietly to myself as I realized that Mrs. Figg was describing Harry and the Muggle involved. The others noticed this as well.
Fudge was laughing from his seat, "Not the boys, the Dementors."
"Alright, right, well um, big. Cloaked. Then, everything went cold, as though all the happiness had gone from the world."
"Now look here," Fudge said, "Dementors don't just wander into a Muggle suburb and happen across a wizard, the odds are astronomical."
I nodded. Harry seemed to notice the movement, confusion evident in his eyes. I made eye contact with him and warned him not to say anything at that moment.
"I don't think anyone would believe the Dementors were there by coincidence, Minister." Dumbledore said.
There was a petite cough from the Wizengamot. All faces turned to face a woman I remembered to be named Dolores Umbridge. "Ahem. I'm sure I must have misunderstood you, Professor. Dementors are after all under the control of the Ministry of Magic. So silly of me, but it sounded, for a moment, as though you were suggesting that the Ministry had ordered the attack on this boy."
That was what it sounded like. If that was what he was suggesting, I could guarantee that I would grow to hate Dumbledore.
"That would be disturbing indeed, Madame Under-Secretary, which is why I'm sure the Ministry will be mounting a full-scale inquiry into why the two Dementors were so far away from Azkaban and why they mounted an attack without authorization. Of course, there is someone who might be behind the attack."
I shook my head. He couldn't seriously be bringing this up now could he? I felt my blood boil.
He walked up to Fudge and said, "Cornelius, I implore you to see reason. The evidence that the Dark Lord has returned in incontrovertible."
Fudge shook with rage, "He. Is. Not. Back."
Dumbledore frowned and announced, "In the matter of Harry Potter, the law clearly states that magic may be used before Muggles in life-threatening situations.
Fudge scoffed, "Laws can be changed if necessary, Dumbledore."
"Clearly, " Dumbledore said loudly, "it has become practice to hold a full criminal trial to deal with a simple matter of under-age magic."
I bit my lip and held back the scream that was threatening to come out. Amelia Bones shifted uncomfortably in her chair as she said, "Those in favor of conviction?" Fudge raised his hand, along with Umbridge and Mum and a little less than half of the room. "Those in favor of clearing the accused of all charges?" The remainder of the room raised their hand.
Fudge begrudgingly said, "Cleared of all charges."
Dumbledore immediately left the room. I stood up, trying to get as far away from Harry as possible but he stopped me.
"Darcy. Good summer?"
I nodded, "It was nice. Besides this, was yours-"
"Well, you know living with Muggles isn't exactly what I'd call fin."
I smirked, then I realized that I was supposed to be angry at him. "Yeah. Listen, Harry. I've got to go. But I'll see you soon at school yeah?"
"Definitely. I'll tell George you say hello?"
I nodded, "sure."
I watched Harry leave with Mr. Weasley. Seamus came up beside me, "I don't want you talking to him. He could put bad ideas into your head."
I sighed, "I know. I just...I wish there was a way I could still be friends with him."
"You can't play for both teams, Darcy. Choose whichever you think is right,"
That was exactly my problem. I had no idea what was right.
There you go! Darcy will probably believe Harry after the first DADA lesson so it won't be long now.
Also, I really appreciated all of the reviews I got for the last chapter. I've decided that I might try to respond by PM to a lot of them or the ones that have questions for remarks. So be on the look out for that.
Besides that I don't think there's anything else to tell you.
Have a nice day!
xxx
rosslynchandbeyond
