28 - Epilogue I

The Howler

Haley never understood parents who sent their children Howlers. To school. Where all of the teachers and every single student was able to witness it. It had to be the ultimate most embarrassing thing you could do to your child. She couldn't imagine the kind of behaviour that would justify such a severe form of punishment.

Understandably, she thought it was a mistake or a bad joke, when she found herself at the breakfast table, faced with her family owl, Beryll, that had a foreboding black letter tied to his leg.

"Er… Hi Beryll." She greeted the owl a little bit confused, while around her, her fellow Gryffindors already started to whisper, "That a Howler?" or "Looks like Potter got a Howler…"

Slowly, she was starting to feel anxious. It couldn't be true. Her mum would never even think of something this cruel. And her dad? Her dad… No… would he do something that despicable to her? But why? She couldn't fathom what she could have possibly done to deserve getting a Howler.

A mistake then. It had to be a mistake. Or a joke. Probably. There really was no other explanation.

"Er… is that a Howler?" Ron asked from her left. He sounded even more nervous than she felt.

"A Howler? No." Haley answered with a snort. "Why would anyone send me a Howler?" Finding confidence in her own words, Haley untied the ominous letter from Beryll's leg and opened it.

One second it was quiet. Then the letter lifted off her hands until it floated above the breakfast table and unfolded itself. Suddenly, three slits appeared, that formed two eyes and a mouth.

And then the letter started to talk. Or well – yell was a more fitting word.

"HALEY POTTER!" the voice of her dad boomed angrily. "HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME? GRYFFINDOR HASN'T LOST A QUIDDITCH GAME FOR FIFTY YEARS! HOW COULD YOU LET OUR GLORIOUS HOUSE LOSE? IS QUIDDITCH A JOKE TO YOU? IS OUR PRIDEFUL HOUSE A JOKE TO YOU?" Her dad sounded as if he was on the verge of crying. "I DIDN'T RAISE YOU LIKE THIS! HOW COULD YOU?" Her dad was definitely sniffling. "AND NOW I HEAR YOU WERE KICKED OFF THE TEAM? HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO DEAL WITH THAT? MY PRIDE, MY JOY! I WAS SO HAPPY WHEN I HEARD YOU HAD JOINED THE TEAM. AND NOW THEY KICKED YOU OFF? WHO DECIDED THAT? WHO ALLOWED THAT? JUST YOU WAIT. THIS ISN'T OVER. WHOEVER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS SHOULD GET THEIR WAND READY. I WILL NOT LET THIS SLIDE! I DIDN'T TRAIN QUIDDITCH WITH YOU EVERYDAY, SO SOME NOBODY COULD THROW YOU OFF THE TEAM. I TAUGHT YOU THE WRONSKI FEINT WHEN YOU WERE FIVE, REMEMBER? THIS IS RIDICULOUS, WE BOTH KNOW YOU HAVE A SHINING QUIDDITCH FUTURE AHEAD OF YOU!" Haley's dad sounded like he was taking a deep breath. "About the thing with your new Slytherin friend we'll talk another time. I think your mum's coming. She was against the Howler. She's no fun. Anyways, gotta run. See you soon, Dad."

With that the letter burst into shreds of paper that sailed down to the table one by one. Haley was speechless. A Howler. The nerve of her dad.

"That was a Howler, then?" Hermione asked curiously. Apparently, she had never seen someone get a Howler before.

Ron nodded. "Yeah… that was one Howler."

Haley didn't know whether she was supposed to laugh or cry. Everyone had to be watching her. This was so much more embarrassing than anything she could have imagined. In the end, she settled for hiding her face in her hands. "I can't believe he actually sent me a Howler," she whispered.

Then she felt someone patting her shoulder lightly. "Sorry, you got a Howler." That was the surprisingly soothing voice of Angelina Johnson. "Can't let you back on the team, though. But how about you try again next year? I hear, there are some open Chaser spots."

Haley looked up from between her fingers just in time to see Angelina wink. Then the older girl went back to her spot on the table. In her own way, she really was nice. Hadn't she only done what she thought best for the team? For Angelina's sake Haley only hoped, her dad wasn't going to find out it had been her kicking his daughter off the team. Otherwise… maybe Angelina would be the one finding herself with a Howler for breakfast next time.

…

"So… I think your dad sort of likes me."

Haley snorted. "What gave you that idea?" Sitting on a windowsill inside the abandoned Transfigurations classroom, she let her feet dangle back and forth lazily. Draco who was standing in front of her was absently playing with the end of her braid.

"He was clearly more upset about the end of your quidditch career than about you going out with me." He grinned. As if it was a huge achievement not to be as bothersome as a disappointing daughter.

"You don't understand. He's crazy about quidditch." Haley sighed. "He actually – Sent. Me. A. Howler. Can you believe that?" The mere thought still made her shudder.

Draco shrugged. "Don't have to believe it. I saw it. And heard it for that matter."

Haley hit his shoulder for his lack of compassion.

"Ow."

She glared at him. Just to get the message across. But for some reason her reaction made Draco grin.

Placing his hand on her waist, he leaned closer and whispered, "Did I ever tell you how bloody attractive you are, when you're angry?"

Haley rolled her eyes. "Once or twice."

There was a spark lighting up his eyes. Not the kind of spark that told her he was about to prank her. It was the good kind, that meant, he was about to kiss her. And kiss her he did. Sometimes Haley wondered why kissing him felt so incredible. Every little touch of his lips on hers filled her with an endless string of pleasure and affection, that left her almost senseless.

Most of the time. Now, a part of her was still irked about the incident at breakfast.

Sighing, Draco pulled away, poking his thumb against her lower lip. "You're distracted." He observed.

"Sorry, it's just… ugh… I keep seeing that stupid Howler in my mind."

"He'll get over it," Draco commented helpfully. "It's funny, though."

"Funny? What's funny about any of this?"

"Your dream yesterday… it was kind of prophetic, wasn't it?"

Her dream? The one where she had gone to the Yule Ball with Draco and even serenaded him? "How so?"

"Your brother? He mentioned a Howler, didn't he?"

Haley frowned. Draco's fingers stroking up and down her waist were kind of distracting. "Oh. You're right. I totally forgot." She tried to focus on the memory of yesterday's dream. Hadn't her brother Simon been wearing her old Harpies scarf? What did that mean?

"Does he know about the dreamwalking, too?" Draco asked.

Haley shook her head. "No, I don't think so. Mum wouldn't have told him. He's much too young."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Strange coincidence. I did like the rest of the dream, though." He grinned. In a way that said, he was about to tease her. "I especially enjoyed your singing."

Her singing? Or the way she had embarrassed herself by forgetting half of the lyrics?

"Or when you told me… you know…" He left the sentence unfinished. On purpose undoubtedly.

She raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to say the rest.

"You know… when you told me… how you feel… about me." He sounded a tiny bit nervous.

Haley frowned. "I can't remember. Maybe you were imagining that." She did remember, of course. But there was no way she was going to humour him, when he was going to tease her about it.

"I definitely didn't imagine it." Now, he was the one frowning.

"You know, sometimes… dreams are just dreams. I wouldn't read too much into it." Haley went on mercilessly.

"You're such a–" He shook his head. "I can't believe you're pretending you can't remember."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." She sang cheekily.

"You think I should tell your dad, that you're actually glad you're off the team?"

Haley's eyes went wide. "You. Wouldn't. Dare."

He lifted a brow. A silent challenge.

"Well, then, I might as well tell your dad what happened to your magic." She fired back. Which was kind of a low-blow. But he had started it.

"As if he'd believe you." Draco replied sceptically. He did have a point. His magic had returned to him after all. Was he mad, Haley had raised the topic? "Don't worry, I won't tell your dad." He poked her nose playfully. "You can do that yourself."

Haley groaned. Then she found herself with an armful of Draco, hugging her as if he was attempting to squeeze all the air out of her lungs.

"You're awfully annoying," she mumbled, feeling herself slowly melt into the embrace.

She heard him chuckle. "Not as annoying as you." Holding her impossibly tighter he dropped a kiss into her hair. A warm familiar feeling settled somewhere deep in her chest. If she had to face a thousand Howlers now, they wouldn't bother her at all.

...

...

A/N: Oh my, what's that? It's an epilogue! Look who's back! Technically this is only the first part of the epilogue. Which is why this is so short. So, the plan is to drop random shortish chapters like this one every now and then. Until I'm done playing around with this story. So, stay tuned for more, dears! It's so much fun, writing in this verse again!