Author's notes:
Standard disclaimer. It all belongs to JKR. Thank you for letting us play with your toys.
I will continue to use the occasional song lyric in the story and will give credit at the time when needed.
This is the seventh book in my Slytherin Harry series and covers Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts.
Book 1: Harry Potter and the Muggle's Daughter
Book 2: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Book 3: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Book 4: Harry Potter and the Blood Traitor's Daughter
Book 5: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Book 6: Harry Potter; Flesh, Blood and Bone
Book 7: Harry Potter and the Lady of the Lake
If you haven't read books 1-6 you won't know what's going on. But the bonus is you've got six completed books before you even get to this one!
Fair warning, this story will continue to be dark and have mature language and situations in it.
Harry Potter and the Lady of the Lake
Chapter XXXI
Tediously Mind-Numbing
"And it's Slytherin verses Gryffindor for the quidditch cup in the final match of the year," Scarlett's voice boomed across the stadium. Slytherin enter with a record of five wins against zero losses for the season and look to complete their second undefeated run in as many years with a win here today. Gryffindor have their work cut out for them, as by virtue of their 390-340 win over the Lions in their first meeting of the year Slytherin own the first tiebreaker and even in a loss could still claim the cup. But Gryffindor enter the match at 4-1 and you can be sure they have more on their minds than just putting a blemish on the Snakes' perfect season. Unfortunately for Gryffindor Slytherin control the second tiebreaker as well and do so by more than a thousand points, so if the Lions want the hardware they've got but one hope. Win by sixty. Certainly not out of the realm of possible, but anything less will see the Snakes retain the trophy for another year.
"It's been a competitive season all around this year with the Birds and Badgers giving the Lions serious scares in the second meetings of the season and Gryffindor have to count themselves lucky not to have suffered a single starter missing even a minute of match play. Last week especially, with only a ten-point win over the Badgers, could easily have turned against them. Slytherin meanwhile, after solid but uninspiring efforts in the first two matches of the season started to hit their stride in the third where they turned in a gritty performance against Gryffindor without their captain and star slasher, Ginny Potter, when she went down to injury. The win certainly speaks well of Potter's tenure as captain, showcasing a disciplined and deep team capable of dealing with the most difficult moments of adversity. No other house in the school boasts a full team of reserves, and rumor has it the she's added a secret weapon in a team manager and scout ensuring there is no fall off in what we've come to expect from them."
"Yesh," Harry muttered as he and the rest of the team waited underneath the stadium. "Sounds like she's got a crush on you."
"Well yeah," Ginny retorted. "Best you keep yourself in line if you don't want me to replace you."
Harry smirked and saluted. "Yes, Ma'am."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Last instructions, Edge?"
"Just remember," Michael said, "it's not enough to get your shot on hoop, you need to get it in the right quadrant. He's weakest going to his left so your best shot is left hoop and lower left quadrant of it."
Ginny stuck her hand out. "All right, you heard him." The team piled their hands on hers. "It's not enough," she said. "One, two—"
"IT'S NOT ENOUGH!"
"And Slytherin are off to a quick start," Scarlett announced. "They lead 60-20 and you just wouldn't think they started the season needing to replace three multi-year starters.
With about ten minutes to play Ginny slotted her seventh goal of the match, staking Slytherin to a commanding 920-450 lead. She'd sent Jamison to the bench after Harry had snagged his third snitch of the match, replacing him with Xui. The fourth-year had rewarded her with two goals before Ginny had sent her back to the bench in favor of Amanda Dewer. The third-year had yet to score, but between herself, Harry and Michael they'd been more than able to keep up with Gryffindor. She'd even sent Cormac and Osian, her beaters, to the bench just before she'd scored her sixth goal of the match; bringing up first-year reserves Josh and Seth Rhys. To be honest, their counterparts were hammering the two. But the facts were, with the hundred points she'd gotten for her second snitch and the goal she'd just added, the match was over and she had one more player who'd earned a bit of time on the field. Gryffindor would score some goals, maybe even get a snitch in the time left, but if she could reward Siobhan with even ten minutes for over two years of hard work she was going to do it. "Time!" she bellowed. She motioned to Siobhan on the bench to mount up.
The team quickly flew over to join her. "Sup, Cap?" Michael asked. Ginny handed him her captain's armband.
"Seriously?" he asked.
"You've earned it, Lug."
"Well lookie who's ready to put down the training broom," Harry teased as Siobhan joined them.
"Piss off, Potter," she said. Though she was grinning from ear to ear."
"Girl after my own heart," Ginny said.
"I get all my lines from you, Cap," the girl said.
Ginny nodded. "Then maybe you wanna get my snitch too, yeah?"
Siobhan's eyes widened. "You're going off?"
"Yuuup," Ginny said. She peeled away to the bench. "Have fun."
"And that's it," Scarlett announced. "Gryffindor tack on a meaningless fifty at the end against mostly reserves for the Snakes but the final 920-500 score is more than enough for Slytherin to hoist the quidditch cup for the second straight season. Till next year then. C'ya."
With quidditch over the students' attention quickly turned to the resumption of the talent competition. The first eliminations had occurred after the second round, whittling the field down by half. Each remaining competitor would give two performances in each of the next two rounds before the field would be winnowed again to a final group of ten. Those ten would perform twice on the last Saturday of the competition and be narrowed down by half again for the final on Sunday where they would again give two performances. Eight songs to possibly win and Harry had spent the better part of the very little free time he had agonizing over his choices. The first weekend after the end of the quidditch season he'd gotten permission to leave school for a Saturday and went to see Matt and beg the use of his recording studio. One, twenty-hour marathon session later and Harry had all the tracks to go with what he'd perform live.
"Yesh," Harry muttered from back stage where he'd just watched Isla finish her performance. "Why am I bothering again?"
"Because I shall maim you if you do not," Daphne said.
"As will likely every girl in the school," Hermione added.
"Ladies," Scarlett announced, "his first performance made us swoon. His second laid down the gauntlet on the quidditch season; he and Slytherin backed it up on the pitch. Let's give it up for Harry Potter!"
Daphne shoved Harry forward into the thunderous screams of the female population of the school. Harry walked across the stage with his new guitar and took a seat on the stool he'd asked for. The torches dimmed to dull red glows while a spotlight illuminated him in its bright glare. Harry situated himself and strummed a few quick notes to ensure the guitar was in tune. "So I've only ever sung this once before. I had an audience of two and I made a promise to them afterwards. It took their daughter and I quite a while to listen to each other. That's really all she wanted from me, from everyone really; to be listened to. So this song belongs to their daughter, and my friend, Fleur Delacour. He started playing, chords he'd never even written down and then he sang and whether it was Harry, or Fleur coming down on from on high, the voice of the angel she claimed in her diary was his filled the hall.
Hello darkness, my old friend
I've come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence.
In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone
'Neath the halo of a street lamp
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence
And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dared
Disturb the sound of silence
Fools, said I, you do not know
Silence like a cancer grows
Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach you
But my words, like silent raindrops fell
And echoed in the wells of silence
And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming
And the sign said, the words of the prophets are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls
And whispered in the sounds of silence
Ginny swallowed thickly. Glancing about she couldn't find a dry eye in the audience. Harry'd sung and his voice had broke and he'd somehow transported her into his very grief, raw and jagged, making it her own... And then he'd left them. Walking off the stage in silence that still held.
"He's not real," Luna whispered. She wrapped her arms around Ginny and rested her head on her shoulder.
Ginny took a shuddering breath. "But he is." And he's mine she added to herself.
"He's left us swooning." It was day two of the third round and Scarlett was back at it setting the stage again. "He's left us ready to mount our brooms and get it on. And after leaving us silent with tears in our eyes I'm almost afraid of what comes next. Ladies and gentlemen, back with an original composition from a songwriter who wishes to remain anonymous, it's Harry Potter.
"Please tell me you're not going to leave me a sniffling wreck again," Daphne said. "I don't know if I could stand it."
Harry smirked. "Would I do that to you?"
"I believe you would just to spite me."
Harry chuckled softly and leaned over to kiss her cheek. "I think this one will be a bit more up your alley, Posh." He started up the steps.
"Hey, what happened to the five second rule?" she called after him.
Harry turned around fully to face her, walking backwards across the stage. "Figured I was due." He winked. "Just my luck you didn't come through."
She pursed her lips tightly while crossing her arms. "I'm telling, Ginevra," she said loudly.
Harry laughed and strummed the first chords. "You do that, Posh." He turned to face the audience as he worked his way to the first verse of the song.
The moment Harry strummed the first chord Ginny turned scarlet. "By the goddess," she sighed.
"You know this one?" Luna asked.
Ginny snorted. "Try wrote it."
"So he's singing a song for you, that you wrote about him?" Neville asked.
"Sounds about right. Do you think he'd be too upset if I hid under the table?"
"You do realize pretty much every girl in here is so jealous they want to rip your eyeballs out."
"Believe me, I'd be happy to let him embarrass them a few times. I wonder what the chances are he doesn't make it past this round of the competition."
"Slim and none," Neville said.
"I was afraid of that," Ginny muttered. "I'll just have to kill him instead."
"Well this certainly isn't doing anything to deflate his ego," Neville said.
"Would you two shut up," Luna said.
Woke up to the sound of pouring rain
The wind would whisper and I'd think of you
And all the tears I cried, that called your name
And when I needed you, you came through
I paint a picture of the days gone by
When love went blind and you would make me see
I'd stare a lifetime into your eyes
So that I knew that you were there for me
Time after time you were there for me
Remember yesterday, walking hand in hand
Love letters in the sand, I remember you
Through the sleepless nights through every endless day
I'd want to hear you say, I remember you oh oh
We spent the summer with the sand all round
Wished ever after would be like this
You said I love you babe, without a sound
I said I'd give my life for just one kiss
I'd live for your smile and die for your kiss
Remember yesterday, walking hand in hand
Love letters in the sand, I remember you
Through the sleepless nights through every endless day
I'd want to hear you say, I remember you
We've had our share of hard times
But that's the price we paid
And through it all you've kept the promise that you made
I swear you'll never be lonely
Woke up to the sound of pouring rain
Washed away a dream of you
But nothing else could ever take you away
'Cause you'll always be my dream come true
Oh my darling, I love you
Remember yesterday, walking hand in hand
Love letters in the sand, I remember you
Through the sleepless nights through every endless day
I'd want to hear you say, I remember you
Remember yesterday walking hand in hand
Love letters in the sand I remember you
Through the sleepless nights, through every endless day
And what does he say, I remember, I remember you, oh yeah.
Ginny was moving before Harry had finished, rushing the stage she jumped up on it and ran and leapt at him. He caught her with his hands on her ribs, holding her up as she sort of knelt with her knees on his hips. Grabbing his face in hers she kissed him with abandon, not carrying in the least it was with the entire student body, school staff and large number of visiting parents and guests witnessing her display.
"I thought she was embarrassed," Neville said.
"It would appear she got over it," Luna said dryly
"Oi, Potter!" Ron shouted over the wolf whistles the two were getting. "There's a bit of an audience."
Ginny dropped to the floor, blushing furiously. Harry smirked and she shifted, trying to hide behind him as best she could. "You telling that to her, Ron, or me?"
"Yes," he answered, drawing laughs from the crowd. "Now get off the stage will ya? Some of us are only here to see Isla dance."
"Here, here!" a number of the boys in the audience shouted.
Harry laughed. "You and me both, Weasley. You and me both."
Walking of the stage they found Daphne waiting for them. "Seriously, Ginevra?"
Ginny shrugged. "Well look at him. And he just sings that. What would you have done?" Daphne eyed Harry up and down. Dressed in ripped jeans, dragon hide boots, a ratty tee-shirt with a long-sleeved, checked flannel shirt tied around his waist, his perpetually messy black hair, emerald eyes and strong jaw, Harry was definitely hot. Though she would never admit it. And most certainly not where he could hear her.
"Well I certainly wouldn't rush the stage to snog someone who looks like a destitute leprechaun."
Hermione snorted and slowly broke into uncontrolled laughter that had her leaning against the wall and then sliding down it. "God I love you, Daphne."
Harry glowered at the blonde. "How much trouble will I be in if I push her off the cliff into the lake?"
"A day," Ginny answered.
"Just one?"
"Yes."
"A day what?" Daphne asked.
"Without sex," Harry answered. Daphne clapped her hands over her ears.
"Deaf," Hermione moaned. "I'm deaf."
"Ugh, that is going to be burnt into my retinas for months," Daphne complained.
Harry tugged Ginny by the hand. "Burn where we're going now in while you're at it," he said, pressing his lips to Ginny's again before leading her away.
"Murder me," Hermione moaned.
"Suicide pact," Daphne said.
"Anything," Hermione agreed.
The day after the third round of the competition professor Sinistra stopped by the Slytherin table during dinner. "Mr Potter," she said, "if you've finished eating your presence is required in the anterior room."
"May I ask what for?" Harry asked.
"I'd prefer to speak with you in private." Harry glanced at his friends.
"We'll wait for you," Ginny said.
Harry sighed but heaved himself up. "After you then professor."
She led him to the small alcove just off the back of the Great Hall and the door to the anterior room. Stopping him she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Please know that I put no stock in what you're walking into and that I have already argued vociferously against you even having to appear to defend yourself."
Harry frowned. "Erm, well, thanks, but what am I having to defend myself against?"
"You've been accused of cheating in the talent competition."
Harry blinked. "You're joking."
"I wish I could say that I was."
"And what evidence is presented against me?" he demanded.
"None at the moment. Nor do I expect any will be. It is only the accusation."
"So once again, guilty until proven innocent," Harry demanded. "Is that how it works?"
"Harry, I am on your side."
Harry forced his temper back under control. And he was tempted, sorely tempted, to turn around and walk away, but the desire to see his accuser won out and he pushed past her. "Then let's get this over with." He pushed the door open and stormed into the room. Drawing up short on spotting Cho Chang, Lisa Turpin and their head of house, professor Flitwick, present. Harry turned to professor McGonagall. "You're joking right, I'm here on the word of the school tart and miss-love-potion herself?"
"Mr Potter/Now see here," professor McGonagall and Flitwick said at the same time.
"Don't even, Professor," Harry said, completely ignoring Flitwick. "This is utter bullshit and you know it."
"Twenty points, Mr Potter," Flitwick said.
Harry turned on him. "With all due respect, Sir, fuck off."
"Mr Potter," professor McGonagall said, jumping to her feet.
"What?" he demanded.
"The original twenty points are rescinded. The twenty I am taking stand."
"Yeah, well you can have my badge after this farce too." Her eyes widened. "Yeah, I'm going to prove my innocence, but there's a price."
"I did warn you," professor Sinistra said.
"The threats of a student should not stand in the way of us determining the truth," professor Flitwick said.
Harry glared at the diminutive professor. "And I suppose the fact that every single year I've been in this school someone, usually from your house, is accusing me of cheating or god knows whatever else and every single time it turns out I'm innocent just escapes your cognitive functions."
"Whether I've been able to prove them or not, we both know you and your friends are guilty of a reign of terror against members of my house. Miss Chang and Miss Turpin in particular have been targets."
"Well, while you're going on about supposition and things you have zero proof of, how about I take a few drops of veritaserum and let professor McGonagall ask me just what acts I have personally witnessed from the two of them."
"Certainly," he agreed. "As long as I am allowed to ask about various incidents to have befallen my two students."
"Deal," Harry answered. He flopped into a chair. "I'll wait while you go get the potion. I don't suppose they're willing to accept the same terms?" Flitwick blinked back at him. "What?" Harry demanded. "Didn't think I'd accept those terms?"
"We're not here to discuss that. We're here to discuss you're conduct in the talent competition."
Harry laughed. "You're beat already and you don't even know it. If I didn't know better I'd think one of those two put a Compulsion Charm or something on you." Harry happened to be looking at the two girls in question and caught the darting of Lisa's eyes to Cho. He sat straight up in his chair. "Bloody hell, they did!" He waved his hand at the diminutive professor. "Finite!"
"What in the world do you think you're doing?" Flitwick demanded.
"He just tried to curse a teacher!" Cho cried, jumping to her feet.
"He should be expelled immediately," Lisa added, jumping up as well.
"Nope," Harry said, "gotta be a potion." He triggered the release on his wand, drew a detection web and banished it at the man. It landed on him and instantly twisted into a number of different runes. None of them Harry recognized though. "Suppose I shouldn't be surprised there are at least a few there," Harry mused. "I mean it wouldn't be unusual to take a potion at all, would it?"
"Filius?" Professor McGonagall asked.
Before he could answer Monica Urquhart, the lead agent of Harry's detail stepped forward. "Actually," she said, pointing to each rune in turn, "this one here is a restorative draught, headache potion, stomach settler and… a captured Compulsion Hex." Everyone stared at the woman. "Runes was my best subject," she said. "If it weren't for that asshole teaching potions I'd have been an auror three years ago." She pointed her wand at Flitwick. "How about I restrain you just to be safe, Professor?" He nodded mutely.
Harry clapped his hands together. "Well, I'd say my presence here was no longer needed, but I'm just too excited to see what happens next."
"What happens," Monica said, she flicked her wand at Cho and Lisa, summoning their wands, "is these two are detained pending the outcome of the investigation."
"How dare you!" Cho said. "Do you have any idea just whom my father is?"
Monica flicked her wand at the girl, forcing her back into her seat. "Nope," she said. "Don't really give a damn either. Now you just sit there like a good little girl while we get to the bottom of this." She pulled a mirror from her pocket. "Commander Tonks."
"What is Urquhart?"
"I'm in the anterior room behind the Great Hall. I've got two suspects in custody under suspicion of placing a professor under a Compulsion Hex."
There was a moment of silence before Tonks responded. "Students?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"On my way. And no questions till we get the solicitors involved."
"Yes, Ma'am." She put the mirror away
"Professor, I demand." Monica flicked her wand at Cho again, silencing her. "Best you not talk," she said. Cho jumped to her feet and tried to leave only to be brought back to the couch and bound in restraints. Tonks must not have been too very far away because she hurried in while Cho was still struggling to break the bonds holding her in place. Her eyes quickly took in the scene, settling on Lisa.
"You again?" The girl paled further than she already was and looked down at the floor.
Tonks turned to Monica. "Explain." She quickly related the story so far. "All right then," Tonks said once she'd been caught up, "Harry, Ginny and the rest are waiting outside for you yet. I think it's safe enough your detail can remain behind. We'll find you if we need anything else."
"Sure thing," he agreed. He stood and made to leave, stopping at the door though, he turned back. "Almost forgot." He took his badge off and set it on the table.
"Mr Potter, Harry," professor McGonagall tried.
"Sorry, professor," he cut her off. "I'm glad this mess came to light. Hell, it probably explains the Jeckyll and Hyde act out of him the last number of years. But there was nothing; no evidence, just two people, one of them a proven liar of the absolute worst sort, with demonstrated hostility towards me covering the entire time I have been a student in this school. I should never have even been asked here to begin with."
"Harry, whatever you wish to believe about me or the staff or anyone else, I assure you I never once thought the accusations were true. Regardless of my personal feelings or beliefs though, when an accusation is made, I have a duty to investigate. How am I to do so if I don't, at the very least, ask you if there is any basis in fact for the accusations?"
Harry considered for a second. "You're right, professor, you can't." He picked up the badge again. "I'll finish out this year. But, please, I've been on the verge of turning the thing in all year, so I'd very much appreciate if someone else could be found for next year, and I'll say right now, if someone were to get it in their head for me to be head boy next year, I will turn it down." He was out the door and gone before another word could be said.
"Do you have any idea what's going on?" Daphne asked.
Ginny shook her head. "None."
"I fear it might be something to do with members of my house and the talent contest," Luna said.
"Don't tell me someone is going to accuse him of cheating," Hermione moaned.
"I fear it likely."
"More likely than you know," Ginny muttered. "He's pissed. Like seriously pissed."
"Another one of your feeling his emotion moments?" Luna asked.
Ginny nodded. "Yes."
"Well," Neville, said, "this will end well."
"I've always enjoyed your skill with understatement," Daphne said.
Neville grinned. "Well, my best friend is the poster child for overstatement so I just do my best to try and balance the cosmic scale."
"You're failing," Hermione deadpanned, eliciting a snort from three of her four friends. Ginny had gone silent, intently focused on whatever the strange bond she had with Harry was. "Seriously though," Hermione went on, "don't you think it time we spent some effort on determining just what it is between the two of you? I mean, visions, hand prints burnt into trees, tingling when you touch and you can feel his emotions."
"Oh, we don't need to look at all," Luna said. "They're Soul–Bound."
"Well," Daphne said. "Soul–mates would certainly explain a few things."
"No, no, no," Luna corrected. "Soul–Bound. There's a difference. Not that they aren't soul–mates as well, but one does not mean the other, and the prior is inclusive of the second while the second is not inclusive of the first."
The others regarded her. "My brain hurts," Neville said.
"Explain," Hermione said.
"Well soul–mates are just that, a mated pair. Though they don't need be of opposite sex. Daphne and Neville may be soul–mates, Hermione and myself could be as well. We are separate souls that could, or could possibly not be a mated pair. Harry and Ginevra though are two souls that have had a piece taken and placed within the other, making them Soul-Bound. They cannot live, cannot be where the other is not. They move from one world to the next either dragging the other with or holding the other in place."
The other four sat in silence for a moment; though it appeared Ginny wasn't exactly paying all that much attention. "So it's possible to be soul-mates, but not be soul-bound?" Hermione asked.
"But if you're soul-bound you are always soul-mates?" Daphne added.
"Yes," Luna agreed. "Though it is Soul-Bound, not soul-bound."
"Err," Neville said. "What?"
"Capitalized verses not," Luna said. "Though I suppose the Universe doesn't particularly care one way or another how we value it. But it does seem to me it should be given the additional weight of capitalization. I mean whereas soul-mates border on the infinite the Soul-Bound are much more on the finite end of the spectrum."
"Soul-mates are… infinite," Daphne asked disbelievingly.
"Well yes, there are millions upon millions of pairs just waiting to find each other on this world alone. Though I suppose in some cases they might be on separate worlds entirely. The Soul-Bound though, I should be very surprised indeed if there were another One on this earth. It could be even that there are but a handful in the entire galaxy."
"But," Daphne said, "what about the bonding that happens when people marry? Isn't that a Soul-Bond?"
"It could be," Luna said. "If the two souls in question are first, soul-mates and then the Universe and Magic, which are really one in the same, intervene to make them so. Needless to say it does not happen often. The Soul-Bound are dangerous after all."
"Dangerous?" Hermione asked. "How?"
"They change the balance, tipping it drastically one way or the other. They're meant to, of course. But they do tend to make a mess. No offense, Ginevra."
Ginny blinked. "Sorry? Oh, of course," she waved Luna off.
"Of course?" Daphne demanded. "Did you listen to any of that?"
"Yes."
"Annnd?" Daphne asked pointedly.
"And I'm supposed to do what with it?" Ginny countered. "Is it even true? I mean I've certainly learned not to doubt some of the things Luna says, but that doesn't mean she isn't occasionally wrong either."
"Very true, Ginevra," Luna agreed. "It could be that I'm just entirely loony… Oh, here he comes now." She stood as Harry rejoined them.
Ginny turned. "Dare we ask?"
"Well, Chang and Turpin thought they'd accuse me of cheating in the talent competition and now they're looking at expulsion and possibly having their wands snapped." He shrugged. "So, you know, it's all good."
"Oh dear," Luna sighed. "I fear it shall be a difficult few days in the bird-brain house."
"Ahhhh," Harry said, grimacing. "Sorry?" he offered.
She waved him off. "It boarders on outright war most days anyway. This too shall pass." She stood. "Shall we go up to the tower for a bit?" She walked off without waiting for a reply. Harry and Ginny wordlessly fell in beside her. Trailing a bit behind the other three followed.
"There are days," Hermione muttered, "where I just can't fathom that girl."
"Yet you're going to marry her," Neville pointed out.
"Yes, and I can't decide if that means I should get my head examined or just accept I've lost it as well."
Daphne hooked her arm in Hermione's "Face it, you'd find anyone else to be tediously mind-numbing."
"Well," Hermione huffed, "it's certainly never dull."
"Believe us," Neville said, "we're well aware."
Author's notes:
A destitute leprechaun! LOL! I love Daphne and I still laugh every time I read that line and I've read it a good 20-30 ties or so.
Let's see, we've got, The Sound of Silence by Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel and then I Remember You by Skid Row. I imagine Harry sounding a bit like Iggy from The Voice Kids, Germany when singing The Sound of Silence and I picture him looking a bit like Simon Morin minus the beard just yet, from the Voice Canada when he sings Come with Me Now by the Kongos.
And next week's torture: Chapter 32, Well I Can Hardly Braid Hers