Special Plug I just got done reading the finale of a Series by a fellow HP fanfic author named Circe. Those of you who haven't read Summer by Circe please do so.
Fic Specific A/N. I wrote the above plug when I started the Fanfic so Circe has another series started as well called Paris by Circe.
Harry Potter and the Moral Dilemma
Chapter 9
A couple days after the Christmas Feast Harry was sitting in a recliner in the living room a small pile of Chocolate Frogs and Berti Botts Every Flavor Beans when a small Screech Owl showed up. Harry managed to recognize the owl.
"Hey Giblets," Harry said. "I hope your owner had a nice Christmas." During all this Harry removed a small card with a picture on one side and a message on the other. Harry took a few minutes to look at the Picture after Giblets left with a small canvas sack of Knuts.
The picture showed a Village Street. Among the Items in the Picture was a lot of snow although a Yellow Brick sidewalk was visible amongst the Snow and a Few businesses among them one called the OZ Cream Parlor. In the Upper left Hand Corner it said.
Chittenango NY the Land of OZ.
Harry then flipped over the Card to read the Message
Harry, Ginny, and Myrtle
Well My family and I ended up returning to America for Christmas. This is where my family is from. The sidewalk in the actual village is actually yellow. They repaint it in the Spring before the OZ Festival in June. It's too bad we will be at Hogwarts then because it is fun to go to. If McGonagall Complains when Term starts show her this note because we don't get back to England until real late the night before so I may come back separately the first day of classes so I can rest up. For the record the Author of the Wizard of OZ was born in my hometown. That's the reason for the Festival every year. You can't see it in this postcard but There is even a L. Frank Baum/OZ Museum in a Masonic Lodge. I'll bring more pictures when I come back but I'll have to have them developed in a Muggle Shop so they won't be able to move. Nuts I'm run
The message then stopped. On the Other Side was Harry Potter 95 Merlin Ave Hogsmeade England.
"What you looking at?" Ginny asked as she plopped down on a couch.
"A Postcard from I think Kelly. She is spending the Holiday in America," Harry said handing the postcard over.
"Man Americans are strange when it comes to the color of their sidewalks," Ginny said. "Chittebango must not be real big since I've never heard of it."
"I'll have to ask Kelly how to pronounce it," Harry said. "At least we have one small clue we know it is in New York State."
Deory walked over with a Wizard Book. Rand McNally Atlas of the Muggle World United States.
"Thanks Deory," Ginny said as she started flipping through the Atlas. She eventually came across the page showing New York State. She started by checking Long Island figuring it would be there. It was only when she started checking the Central part that she came across a small dot marked Chittenango a little ways East of a larger dot marked Syracuse and South of a Body of Water marked Oneida Lake. A Ways Northwest of Chittenango though was a larger body of water namely Lake Ontario.
"Looks like an interesting part of America," Harry said as he sat next to her on the couch handing her a Chocolate Frog.
"The entire country sounds fascinating. Professor Ionis only covered America briefly so far in Muggle Studies. Maybe I should ask her for some more general info on it," Ginny said.
"She'll probably make you write a paper on it. As it is you have papers for Binns, Hagrid, A Term Paper for McGonagall to fulfill the Potions requirement, and the occasional essay for your other classes. Once I start practice up I'm going to go easy on the team at first with Two evening Practices and practice on either Saturday or Sunday depending on Field Availability but we might end up with three evening practices some weeks," Harry said.
"I just hope I'll be up to playing. We still have Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff to play," Ginny pointed out.
"Ginny, if for some reason you either aren't up to playing or Madame Hooch and Madame Pomfrey decide not to clear you to play then I will have Warren take over," Harry said.
"I wouldn't want to give that Stuck up sorry excuse for a Gryffindor the satisfaction. If I have to use two brooms to support me I'm going to try to play in both matches," Ginny said. "The Honor of the Weasley Family, The Honor of the Potter Family and the Honor and Memory of Godric Gryffindor depend on it."
"At least Gryffindor worked in to it somewhere," Harry said just as an ornament from the Tree came up and went flying toward them. Ginny managed to catch it in her hand as it went zooming by.
"Rats," a disembodied voice said.
"Peeves, you have ten minutes to get going before I send Hedwig to Hogwarts with a message for Baron Von Rastinov," Harry called out.
A sound suspiciously like air seeping through a small hole was heard. Harry then saw the big bowl of Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans he had left by his recliner getting lifted up. Harry quickly zoomed over and took a big hold of the Bowl before the Beans could be tossed from the bowl only for Ginny to get beaned in the head with a Chocolate Frog.
"Thanks Peeves," Ginny said as she unwrapped the Frog and started to eat it setting the card from the inside in such a way that Harry could look at it.
"Peeves you still have a chance to leave with your dignity intact," Harry called out just before he got nailed with a glass of Pumpkin Juice. Of course the glass was included. Ginny quickly got up and looked over Harry's head.
"He really got you good this time. Looks like you have a couple deep cuts," Ginny said. "Deory," She called.
"Yes Ginny," the house elf said as she came from the kitchen.
"Go through the Tunnel to Hogwarts and Get Madame Pomfrey," Ginny called out.
Half an hour later Madame Pomfrey arrived at the Tunnel Entrance.
"I borrowed a Cleansweep from Madame Hooch so I could Move quickly through the tunnel. What exactly happened?"
"Peeves dropped a glass of Pumpkin Juice on Harry. This isn't like he did last term where he simply dropped the Juice on him this time he dropped the glass along with the juice," Ginny informed the nurse.
"Peeves is out of control. Albus Dumbledore is right now trying to get through a sticky mess that has sealed the Entrance to Slytherin House shut. Right now Peeves is the number one suspect for doing it," Madame Pomfrey said as she started removing glass shards from Harry's scalp.
"God I hope none of the Slytherins were inside when it happened," Ginny said.
"Sadly enough a few were and the real bad part is one of them is a first year with horrible claustrophobia," Madame Pomfrey said.
"Not good," Harry said.
"I know but what can you do about it?" Madame Pomfrey inquired.
Ginny simply shrugged while Madame Pomfrey continued to remove the glass from Harry's scalp. She kept going to another five minutes. After that she took her wand and started to heal Harry's injuries. A knocking sound was coming from the front door and Ginny excused herself to answer it. When Ginny walked back in Colleen Faulk was with her.
"It didn't occur to me you might have company." Colleen said when she saw Madame Pomfrey.
"Peeves decided to drop a glass containing Pumpkin juice over Harry's head and there were plenty of shards of glass in his scalp. Mind you he really should wash his hair but I'd rather he didn't disturb his scalp too much right now," Madame Pomfrey said. "Miss Faulk you know anything about antigoo spells?"
"What else has Peeves been up to this time?" Colleen asked.
"He used a sticky goo somehow to Seal off Slytherin House. Ninety percent of the residents including any who are on Holiday can't get in and the others can't get out. It could cause problems if we can't get it off by the time Holiday ends. Make note we aren't sure Peeves is the culprit," Madame Pomfrey said.
"He has made war against Slytherin already over the Holidays. It could have been him easily," Harry pointed out.
"What about whoever killed Filch," Ginny said.
"Miss Weasley, Filch's death was found to be the result of suicide," Madame Pomfrey pointed out.
"Yeah but where would Filch have gotten his supplies. After all what was used to kill him?" Colleen asked.
"A Stiletto," Ginny said. "Which is a type of knife from Italy."
"Real suspicious in my opinion. What was around Filch when his body was found?" Colleen asked.
Harry described the items since he had found the body initially.
"Very interesting," Colleen said. "It's my guess that the suicide note is a fake. In fact I'm willing to bet that the Stiletto wasn't the true weapon that killed him."
"It was strange that there was almost no blood," Madame Pomfrey said.
"I bet especially since there was an unfinished meal in his office that he was probably poisoned and later the stiletto was placed in him," Colleen said.
"Who would poison Argus Filch?" Madame Pomfrey asked.
"Someone who has something against Squibs possibly," Harry said.
"What do squibs have to do with Filch's death?" Colleen asked. "After all a squib is a wizard born without magical ability."
"Filch was a squib," Harry said.
"You sure Harry?" Colleen asked.
"Filch kind of confessed to being a squib in front of me a few years ago," Harry said.
"Harry, I'm going to spend some time at the School after term begins looking into it," Colleen said.
"Colleen, the Ministry already looked into it. They themselves agree that it was suicide," Ginny said.
"Madame Pomfrey did anyone do a handwriting analysis on the note?" Colleen asked.
"I have no idea. I didn't get too involved in that part of the investigation," Madame Pomfrey said. "All I concerned myself with was looking the body over.
"I probably should check into that. Right now that note is the largest single piece of evidence we have," Colleen said. "By the way Harry would you and Ginny along with Ron, Hermione, and Lucy of course have a problem getting together at my house to ring in the New Year. Myrtle, you of course are invited as well but Please someone try and keep Peeves from wrecking things."
"I'll talk to Albus about keeping Peeves occupied. Well I think I'm done here," Madame Pomfrey said.
"I better go with you so I can look over that situation with the Slytherin Common Room," Colleen said.
"Colleen, We'll take the time to come over for New Years," Harry said. "I'll send Hedwig to Hogwarts to check with Ron, Hermione, and Lucy."
"I can easily check while I'm over there," Colleen said.
Colleen and Madame Pomfrey then left through the Tunnel. Soon as they left Harry went upstairs and grabbed his Sneakoscope since he had brought it with him to Hogsmeade over the Holiday break.
"You really think that will do any good?" Ginny asked.
"It seemed to pick up Wormtail real well that one year," Harry said. "If it can do that why not a Poltergeist."
After a while Harry decided to rest in his room. Half an hour after he laid down Colleen popped through the Tunnel Entrance.
"I managed to free up the door to Slytherin House. Professor Snape was certainly glad. By the way I managed to determine that it wasn't Peeves that did it," Colleen said.
"Who then?" Ginny asked in a somewhat hushed tone.
"I have no idea," Colleen said. "Is that a sneakoscope on the coffee table?"
"Yeah Ron bought it for Harry a few years ago as a birthday present. He is hoping that it will detect Peeves," Ginny said.
"Personally I'm a little hurt that Harry didn't invite me to his birthday party last summer," Colleen said.
"Sorry about that Hermione, Ron, and I didn't think to invite neighbors. You see it was a surprise party. Peeves did good until Dumbledore and McGonagall arrived. When they arrived he pelted them with cushions. Actually just McGonagall got pelted. Dumbledore was able to banish the one aimed for him and it went through Myrtle and hit me," Ginny said.
"Ouch," Colleen said. "Were you already well you know by then?"
"No I wasn't. That didn't happen until end of the summer," Ginny said.
Not too much later that week and Harry and Ginny walked next door to Colleen's for her New Years Eve Party. First thing Harry saw was a table full of Butterbeer although an urn of Hot water was on hand in case someone wanted Hot Chocolate instead of Butterbeer.
"Colleen, I stopped by Honeydukes and bought these in case you needed them," He said handing over a small box containing a bunch of packages of Chocolate Frogs and small individual packages of Treacle Fudge.
"Good thinking. How is your noggin?"
"Pumpkin Juice free. I also brought my sneakoscope just in case," Harry said.
"Probably a good idea. Ron and Lucy are coming but Hermione preferred to spend it in the library of all places. Also Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Flitwick are coming as well," Colleen said. "I invited Hagrid as well but he had plans. Don't worry I know better then to invite Snape. Prof. Sprout was another professor who chickened out."
"Hopefully Dumbledore's presence will be enough to keep Peeves from doing much," Harry said.
Ginny chuckled at the thought based on Peeves record of pulling pranks when Dumbledore was around.
Fairly soon Guests started arriving. Harry suspected that most of the Hogwart's crew came via his house next door. Most of the Professors except Snape, Hagrid, Blankwood, and Sprout came. About ten p.m. Madame Pince arrived and right on her heels was Hermione.
"The library closed," Hermione said.
"God you should almost found a new house there of bookworms and locate the Common room over next to the restricted section," Ron joked.
"I should think not Mr. Weasley," Madam Pince said. "Four houses full of you hulligans is enough for one librarian."
Flitwick was telling a funny story to some of the Hufflepuffs who had decided to come. The story even had Dumbledore laughing.
"What a comedian. He is being wasted as head of Ravenclaw," Colleen said.
"Come on I used to live in Ravenclaw," a voice said as two additional people walked in. Harry and everyone looked toward the newcomers to notice Percy Weasley and Penelope Clearwater.
"Colleen, how much of my family did you invite?" Ginny whispered to Colleen.
"Just you and Ron. I didn't have time to send an owl to Charlie," Colleen said.
"Then how is it that Percy and his fiancée are here?" Ginny asked.
Colleen shrugged her shoulders. Percy meanwhile was over talking to Ron.
"That could be a clue," Harry said as he munched on some Toffee that McGonagall had brought. Just then a Hufflepuff first year suddenly sprouted feathers. "OK who brought the Canary Creams."
"The package at Honeydukes said they were Custard Creams," Professor Sinistra said.
"By chance were they the Weasley Wizard Wheezies brand?" Percy asked as he looked over.
"Yes they were as a matter of fact," Prof. Sinistra said.
"My brothers Fred and George market that brand out of their joke shop. Apparently the owners of Honeydukes ordered a bunch thinking they were harmless," Percy said.
By this time the first year had shed her feathers.
"That is not fun," she said.
"For the record the goofballs behind those were a pair of Gryffindors," Penelope said as she walked over.
"Did you ever end up like that?" the student asked.
"No thankfully I was in Ravenclaw so I didn't have to deal with Percy's comical twin brothers much. My seventh year they were sixth years," Penelope said.
"Penny, you lucked out. We ended up very wary of stuff that others were handing around in Gryffindor that year," Hermione commented.
"I can imagine," Penelope said.
About ten minutes of midnight Colleen came around and handed out cold goblets of Pumpkin Juice. Even Myrtle took the time for a goblet load.
"OK at Midnight who wants to light the Fireworks?" Colleen asked.
"I'll handle it," Professor Flitwick said.
Before anyone knew it the hour had come. Professor Flitwick used a real fancy charm to light the Filibusters Fireworks. The Colorful show was augmented with Confetti.
"Strange, the confetti wasn't part of the show," Colleen said.
"How much do you want to bet a certain Poltergeist is behind the confetti?" Ginny asked.
"I don't really care since it is only Confetti and not something worse," Harry asked as he headed for his house so HE could watch the Hogwarts contingent head through the tunnel back to Hogwarts. Ron and Hermione stayed over though with Hermione and Ginny bunking in the future Nursery and Ron and Harry batching it in the master bedroom.
Closing Note. I would have made it longer except I couldn't think of much more.