The rest of their classes that day went on as usual. But all the teachers acted very strangely. They all seemed stiff and nervous, especially around each other. And Harry, Ron and Hermione were the only students who knew why. That night, when Ron and Hermione set off for Muggle Studies and Harry set off for Advanced Astronomy.
Professor Avery seemed to be in just as worried as the other teachers. He kept fumbling over his words and dropping star charts they were supposed to complete. When class came to an end, Professor Avery assigned no homework, just walked over to his desk, and sat down wearily. Harry watched as he slumped over slightly, his arms crossed.
"Professor Avery, are you feeling all right?" Harry asked as he walked by his desk.
"Of course, Harry, thank you for your concern. I feel all right, I suppose, I think I might be coming down with something." Professor Avery said, looking tired.
"Well-bye, Professor Avery." Harry said, heading off.
"Good-bye, Harry." Professor Avery called back.
Harry headed towards the common room, and as he did, he heard two familiar voices.
"Ron, just because I'm a Muggle-born doesn't mean I'm brainless."
"Hermione, I never said you were brainless. Far from it, in fact. I'm just telling you that maybe you should be more careful, with everything that's happening. I mean, the Death Eaters and the released prisoners will probably go for Muggle-borns first!"
"No kidding, Ron. But I think I can handle myself. I do have the top grades in every class here, I think I know SOMETHING about magic." Hermione said angrily.
"Oh, do you have the top grades? Gee, I never heard that before. When did this happen?" Ron replied sarcastically.
"Shut up! Good grief, why are you acting like this?"
"Don't you get it, Hermione? I'm acting like this because I care about you. A lot." Ron said suddenly, and Harry could tell by the tone in his voice that he had barely worked up the courage to say that.
Hermione obviously had no reply to that. Harry rounded the corner, coming face to face with them. Hermione was looking a little flushed and surprised, and Ron's ears were very pink.
"Hello! Have a good Muggle Studies class?" Harry asked innocently as if he had no idea of what they had just said.
"Er…yeah, Muggle Studies was fine." Hermione said weakly.
"Advanced Astronomy was kind of strange. Professor Avery was acting really oddly." Harry said, wanting to laugh as they both looked at Harry intently, obviously avoiding looking at each other.
"Well, all the teachers have gone a little crazy after all this traitor business." Ron shrugged.
"Yeah…I guess." Harry said, trying to shrug off the feeling that something was wrong.
They reached the common room, and sat down on the most comfortable couches right by the fireplace. Fred, George and Lee Jordan were all nearby, probably plotting some horribly mischievous scheme.
"So, have you two finished your Potions essay yet?" Hermione asked, settling back onto the back of the couch.
"No." Harry and Ron said at the same time.
"You two do know that this is part of a major grade that defines our end of term overall grade, right?" Hermione asked.
"No." They said at the same time again.
Hermione tried not to look disappointed with them, she just pursed her lips slightly, and looked into the fire.
"You know that Viktor told me that in Durmstrang, if your grades get too low, they kick you off the Quidditch team. Don't know why they don't have that rule here." Hermione said.
Hermione seemed to regret that the moment it left her mouth. She knew how Ron got about Viktor, and Harry saw her watching him nervously.
"Really? That's fascinating. What other interesting facts did Viktor have to say about Durmstrang?" Ron said through gritted teeth.
"Oh, just...lots of other stuff." Hermione replied lamely.
"Huh. So I assume Viktor's been writing pretty often, then?"
"You could say that." Hermione replied.
"Isn't that nice, Harry?" Ron asked Harry.
"Er…sure, that's great." Harry shrugged, seeing where this was going and not wanting to get in the middle of it.
"Well, if you like Durmstrang and Viktor so much, why don't you just go there?" Ron muttered.
"What was that, Ron?" Hermione asked sharply.
Fred, George and Lee were all listening now, though trying to pretend they weren't.
"Oh, nothing, Hermione. Sorry we're taking up your time. Why don't you just go upstairs and write your precious little Viktor and ask him to tell you more about his wonderful school?" Ron suggested, his voice practically dripping with sarcasm.
"My precious little Viktor? Good grief, Ron, he's not my boyfriend."
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah. Really."
"Well, then--"
But before Ron could finish, George turned around with an exasperated look on his face.
"Oh, why don't you two just admit you like each other and get it over with? The tension's killing us."
He meant this in a joking sort of way, but both Ron and Hermione fell silent at these words. Harry looked at them, trying not to laugh. They both had turned bright red and Ron was looking furiously at his brother.
George looked a little embarrassed, knowing he had said the wrong thing.
"I was just kidding." He muttered, turning back around.
An awkward silence fell between the three of them.
"Er…Harry, time for Quidditch practice." Fred said suddenly.
"Hermione, would you mind going to tell Angelina, Alicia, Katie and Christine that it's time for practice?"
"N-Not at all, Harry." Hermione practically leaped off the couch, sprinting towards the girl's dormitories.
Fred, George and Harry just stood there with their arms crossed, looking anywhere but at an ashen-faced Ron.
Hermione came back down with the rest of the Quidditch team behind her. They all said good-bye to Ron, Hermione and Lee Jordan and then headed off for practice.
Harry looked back as he left the portrait hole, and saw Ron and Hermione sitting on opposite ends of the couch, looking away from each other determinedly.
~*~
"So what was up with Ron?" Angelina asked Fred, hooking her arm through his and he didn't seem to mind.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, he looked like he wanted to crawl into a hole and die."
"Well…" Fred's voice trailed off.
"Girl trouble." George chimed in.
"Oh." Angelina smiled.
Christine watched this exchange curiously.
"Ron Weasley? Your friend, Harry? I didn't know he was dating anyone."
"He's not." Harry rolled his eyes, not wanting this conversation to continue.
"Okay." Christine said quietly.
Angelina suddenly cleared her throat, stepping away from Fred and standing in front of the team.
"So, everyone, game against Slytherin next week. And I've pretty much spread the word that they're out for blood. I mean that VERY literally. Those Slytherin low-lifes don't care what they have to do to win. But I refuse to let my team resort to their level. No, we won't play dirty. We'll play better. Like we have every time before. Practice every night this week, and no complaining. No one here wants to give up the House Cup to the Slytherins, do they?" She finished off her dramatic speech by flipping her broom around in her hand and mounting it expertly.
Everyone clapped enthusiastically, mounting their brooms as well. The practice went better than ever. Everyone obviously understood what they had to do next week, and they were prepared to do it.
~*~
Harry returned to the common room after a very rigorous practice, leading the rest of the exhausted team.
"Galloping Goblins." Harry said.
"Working on getting us another Quidditch cup?" The Fat Lady asked cheerfully.
Katie blew her sweaty bangs out of her eyes.
"Working would be putting it lightly." She said glumly, getting a cold look from Angelina.
They all stepped through the portrait hole, finding Hermione sitting by herself in an armchair, her nose buried in a book.
"Hey, Hermione." Harry said, sitting down next to her.
She looked up over her book at him.
"Good practice?" She asked in a slightly strained voice.
"Yeah, really good actually." Harry said congenially.
As everyone headed off in their different directions, Harry and Hermione were left alone.
"So, where's Ron?"
"Oh. Well. He's upstairs."
"Doing?"
Hermione shrugged.
"Did you two have another fight?" Harry asked.
"Not…exactly." Hermione finished, turning red all of a sudden and going back to her book again.
Harry looked curiously at her.
"Anything you want to tell me?" He asked.
"No." She said very quickly, not even meeting his eyes.
"Okay. I'll just head upstairs too, then. I'm really tired. See you in the morning, Hermione."
"'Night, Harry." She called after him.
Harry waved over his shoulder, heading up the stairs to the boy's dormitories.
He entered their room to see Ron sitting cross-legged on his bed, re-reading his Chudley Cannons book. He was holding the book in front of his face, but Harry could still see his remarkably red ears.
"Hey, Ron." Harry said suddenly, sitting down on his own bed.
Ron dropped the book, looking around, startled.
"H-Harry! You're back!"
"Well, yeah, Ron, although Angelina might prefer it, we don't practice the entire night." Harry said, smiling slightly at Ron's flustered expression and wondering what exactly had made he and Hermione so jumpy.
"Anything the matter, Ron?"
"No! Of course not! Nothing's the matter!" Ron said nervously.
"Okay." Harry rolled his eyes, laughing slightly.
"What?"
"Nothing, it's just, something's obviously making you act a little…strange, and I was just wondering what it is."
"Oh, it's nothing major. Good night, Harry." Ron pulled the curtains around his bed shut.
Harry laughed again.
"You're nutters, Ron."
Ron didn't reply. Harry fell back on his bed, and instantly fell asleep.
~*~
A young woman with long dark hair entered The Leaky Cauldron. She was very pregnant, and looked very ill. Her face was deathly pale and she kept coughing. Horrible, hacking coughs that seemed to shake her entire being. She spotted someone across the room and walked quickly over to them. She spoke desperately, as if she didn't have much time.
"The baby…it's due soon. I don't know if I'll even live through the pregnancy. But if I do…you understand what I asked…"
"Of course." A thin man who looked very much like a young Lupin.
"Thank you so much, Remus. Thank you for understanding I have no where else to turn. My family's in shambles, theye disowned me long ago. And with Sirius Black in prison…I-I-you're my last hope. My baby's last hope. I know you'll take good care of this child, and give it a better life then I ever could have. If you'll just raise it for take care of it for a little awhile…I've already secured a spot for it at the Wizarding Adoption Agency. Just make sure my baby goes to a good family--" The woman began to cough again, the wheezing coughs echoing through the Leaky Cauldron.
"I'd never let you down." Lupin took her hand reassuredly.
Suddenly, she screamed, clutching her oversized stomach.
"Remus-get me to a hospital!" She shrieked, going paler than ever.
Harry suddenly woke up with a start. What the… That had been one of the strangest dreams he had ever had. Who had Lupin been talking to? He didn't recognize that woman. But she did look strangely familiar. Suddenly, Harry's eyes got very wide as he quickly took in a breath. He knew who that woman was. She looked exactly like Christine. He had just had a dream about Christine's mother. But was it true? Harry knew that he often had dreams that showed him something he couldn't have known otherwise. But was this one of them? And if so…how did Christine know him? Left with more questions than answers, Harry fell back on his bed, his mind racing.
~*~
Professor Avery seemed to be in just as worried as the other teachers. He kept fumbling over his words and dropping star charts they were supposed to complete. When class came to an end, Professor Avery assigned no homework, just walked over to his desk, and sat down wearily. Harry watched as he slumped over slightly, his arms crossed.
"Professor Avery, are you feeling all right?" Harry asked as he walked by his desk.
"Of course, Harry, thank you for your concern. I feel all right, I suppose, I think I might be coming down with something." Professor Avery said, looking tired.
"Well-bye, Professor Avery." Harry said, heading off.
"Good-bye, Harry." Professor Avery called back.
Harry headed towards the common room, and as he did, he heard two familiar voices.
"Ron, just because I'm a Muggle-born doesn't mean I'm brainless."
"Hermione, I never said you were brainless. Far from it, in fact. I'm just telling you that maybe you should be more careful, with everything that's happening. I mean, the Death Eaters and the released prisoners will probably go for Muggle-borns first!"
"No kidding, Ron. But I think I can handle myself. I do have the top grades in every class here, I think I know SOMETHING about magic." Hermione said angrily.
"Oh, do you have the top grades? Gee, I never heard that before. When did this happen?" Ron replied sarcastically.
"Shut up! Good grief, why are you acting like this?"
"Don't you get it, Hermione? I'm acting like this because I care about you. A lot." Ron said suddenly, and Harry could tell by the tone in his voice that he had barely worked up the courage to say that.
Hermione obviously had no reply to that. Harry rounded the corner, coming face to face with them. Hermione was looking a little flushed and surprised, and Ron's ears were very pink.
"Hello! Have a good Muggle Studies class?" Harry asked innocently as if he had no idea of what they had just said.
"Er…yeah, Muggle Studies was fine." Hermione said weakly.
"Advanced Astronomy was kind of strange. Professor Avery was acting really oddly." Harry said, wanting to laugh as they both looked at Harry intently, obviously avoiding looking at each other.
"Well, all the teachers have gone a little crazy after all this traitor business." Ron shrugged.
"Yeah…I guess." Harry said, trying to shrug off the feeling that something was wrong.
They reached the common room, and sat down on the most comfortable couches right by the fireplace. Fred, George and Lee Jordan were all nearby, probably plotting some horribly mischievous scheme.
"So, have you two finished your Potions essay yet?" Hermione asked, settling back onto the back of the couch.
"No." Harry and Ron said at the same time.
"You two do know that this is part of a major grade that defines our end of term overall grade, right?" Hermione asked.
"No." They said at the same time again.
Hermione tried not to look disappointed with them, she just pursed her lips slightly, and looked into the fire.
"You know that Viktor told me that in Durmstrang, if your grades get too low, they kick you off the Quidditch team. Don't know why they don't have that rule here." Hermione said.
Hermione seemed to regret that the moment it left her mouth. She knew how Ron got about Viktor, and Harry saw her watching him nervously.
"Really? That's fascinating. What other interesting facts did Viktor have to say about Durmstrang?" Ron said through gritted teeth.
"Oh, just...lots of other stuff." Hermione replied lamely.
"Huh. So I assume Viktor's been writing pretty often, then?"
"You could say that." Hermione replied.
"Isn't that nice, Harry?" Ron asked Harry.
"Er…sure, that's great." Harry shrugged, seeing where this was going and not wanting to get in the middle of it.
"Well, if you like Durmstrang and Viktor so much, why don't you just go there?" Ron muttered.
"What was that, Ron?" Hermione asked sharply.
Fred, George and Lee were all listening now, though trying to pretend they weren't.
"Oh, nothing, Hermione. Sorry we're taking up your time. Why don't you just go upstairs and write your precious little Viktor and ask him to tell you more about his wonderful school?" Ron suggested, his voice practically dripping with sarcasm.
"My precious little Viktor? Good grief, Ron, he's not my boyfriend."
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah. Really."
"Well, then--"
But before Ron could finish, George turned around with an exasperated look on his face.
"Oh, why don't you two just admit you like each other and get it over with? The tension's killing us."
He meant this in a joking sort of way, but both Ron and Hermione fell silent at these words. Harry looked at them, trying not to laugh. They both had turned bright red and Ron was looking furiously at his brother.
George looked a little embarrassed, knowing he had said the wrong thing.
"I was just kidding." He muttered, turning back around.
An awkward silence fell between the three of them.
"Er…Harry, time for Quidditch practice." Fred said suddenly.
"Hermione, would you mind going to tell Angelina, Alicia, Katie and Christine that it's time for practice?"
"N-Not at all, Harry." Hermione practically leaped off the couch, sprinting towards the girl's dormitories.
Fred, George and Harry just stood there with their arms crossed, looking anywhere but at an ashen-faced Ron.
Hermione came back down with the rest of the Quidditch team behind her. They all said good-bye to Ron, Hermione and Lee Jordan and then headed off for practice.
Harry looked back as he left the portrait hole, and saw Ron and Hermione sitting on opposite ends of the couch, looking away from each other determinedly.
~*~
"So what was up with Ron?" Angelina asked Fred, hooking her arm through his and he didn't seem to mind.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, he looked like he wanted to crawl into a hole and die."
"Well…" Fred's voice trailed off.
"Girl trouble." George chimed in.
"Oh." Angelina smiled.
Christine watched this exchange curiously.
"Ron Weasley? Your friend, Harry? I didn't know he was dating anyone."
"He's not." Harry rolled his eyes, not wanting this conversation to continue.
"Okay." Christine said quietly.
Angelina suddenly cleared her throat, stepping away from Fred and standing in front of the team.
"So, everyone, game against Slytherin next week. And I've pretty much spread the word that they're out for blood. I mean that VERY literally. Those Slytherin low-lifes don't care what they have to do to win. But I refuse to let my team resort to their level. No, we won't play dirty. We'll play better. Like we have every time before. Practice every night this week, and no complaining. No one here wants to give up the House Cup to the Slytherins, do they?" She finished off her dramatic speech by flipping her broom around in her hand and mounting it expertly.
Everyone clapped enthusiastically, mounting their brooms as well. The practice went better than ever. Everyone obviously understood what they had to do next week, and they were prepared to do it.
~*~
Harry returned to the common room after a very rigorous practice, leading the rest of the exhausted team.
"Galloping Goblins." Harry said.
"Working on getting us another Quidditch cup?" The Fat Lady asked cheerfully.
Katie blew her sweaty bangs out of her eyes.
"Working would be putting it lightly." She said glumly, getting a cold look from Angelina.
They all stepped through the portrait hole, finding Hermione sitting by herself in an armchair, her nose buried in a book.
"Hey, Hermione." Harry said, sitting down next to her.
She looked up over her book at him.
"Good practice?" She asked in a slightly strained voice.
"Yeah, really good actually." Harry said congenially.
As everyone headed off in their different directions, Harry and Hermione were left alone.
"So, where's Ron?"
"Oh. Well. He's upstairs."
"Doing?"
Hermione shrugged.
"Did you two have another fight?" Harry asked.
"Not…exactly." Hermione finished, turning red all of a sudden and going back to her book again.
Harry looked curiously at her.
"Anything you want to tell me?" He asked.
"No." She said very quickly, not even meeting his eyes.
"Okay. I'll just head upstairs too, then. I'm really tired. See you in the morning, Hermione."
"'Night, Harry." She called after him.
Harry waved over his shoulder, heading up the stairs to the boy's dormitories.
He entered their room to see Ron sitting cross-legged on his bed, re-reading his Chudley Cannons book. He was holding the book in front of his face, but Harry could still see his remarkably red ears.
"Hey, Ron." Harry said suddenly, sitting down on his own bed.
Ron dropped the book, looking around, startled.
"H-Harry! You're back!"
"Well, yeah, Ron, although Angelina might prefer it, we don't practice the entire night." Harry said, smiling slightly at Ron's flustered expression and wondering what exactly had made he and Hermione so jumpy.
"Anything the matter, Ron?"
"No! Of course not! Nothing's the matter!" Ron said nervously.
"Okay." Harry rolled his eyes, laughing slightly.
"What?"
"Nothing, it's just, something's obviously making you act a little…strange, and I was just wondering what it is."
"Oh, it's nothing major. Good night, Harry." Ron pulled the curtains around his bed shut.
Harry laughed again.
"You're nutters, Ron."
Ron didn't reply. Harry fell back on his bed, and instantly fell asleep.
~*~
A young woman with long dark hair entered The Leaky Cauldron. She was very pregnant, and looked very ill. Her face was deathly pale and she kept coughing. Horrible, hacking coughs that seemed to shake her entire being. She spotted someone across the room and walked quickly over to them. She spoke desperately, as if she didn't have much time.
"The baby…it's due soon. I don't know if I'll even live through the pregnancy. But if I do…you understand what I asked…"
"Of course." A thin man who looked very much like a young Lupin.
"Thank you so much, Remus. Thank you for understanding I have no where else to turn. My family's in shambles, theye disowned me long ago. And with Sirius Black in prison…I-I-you're my last hope. My baby's last hope. I know you'll take good care of this child, and give it a better life then I ever could have. If you'll just raise it for take care of it for a little awhile…I've already secured a spot for it at the Wizarding Adoption Agency. Just make sure my baby goes to a good family--" The woman began to cough again, the wheezing coughs echoing through the Leaky Cauldron.
"I'd never let you down." Lupin took her hand reassuredly.
Suddenly, she screamed, clutching her oversized stomach.
"Remus-get me to a hospital!" She shrieked, going paler than ever.
Harry suddenly woke up with a start. What the… That had been one of the strangest dreams he had ever had. Who had Lupin been talking to? He didn't recognize that woman. But she did look strangely familiar. Suddenly, Harry's eyes got very wide as he quickly took in a breath. He knew who that woman was. She looked exactly like Christine. He had just had a dream about Christine's mother. But was it true? Harry knew that he often had dreams that showed him something he couldn't have known otherwise. But was this one of them? And if so…how did Christine know him? Left with more questions than answers, Harry fell back on his bed, his mind racing.
~*~