Count the Lillies

by onion


I do not own Harry P -- blablabla, you know what ..

Please read and review. This is my very first Harry fic ... so be nice.


CHAPTER SIX

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"This is bizarre." said Hermione blankly.

Harry was looking at his knees.

"Totally." added Ron.

The three of them sat on the corner of the Gryffindor Common Room studying for a long potions test. "That new Potions teacher is really getting on my nerves. She gives us tests almost everyday!" complained Ron. Professor Cork was the female version of Severus Snape. Dark, austere, and hated. She was very pale and had the darkest hair. Her eyes were so huge that if you just pull her finger, there's a possibility that they would pop out and fly across the room. But nobody would frighten Neville Longbottom more than Snape. He still believes that Snape would haunt him someday.

"I can't believe Cho is dead." said Hermione blankly again. "And I still can't believe Professor Snape is dead."

"What were those things again, Harry? Delitresan?" said Ron. But Harry didn't answer. He was still staring at his knees. "Oi. Harry."

"Ron!" mouthed Hermione.

Instead of shrugging his shoulders, Ron, unexpectedly, put his arm around Harry's shoulders. "Dude. It's okay, man."

Hermione did the same thing on Harry's other side. "Harry. Are you blaming yourself? Please don't."

"You read my mind, Hermione."

"Harry .." Ron and Hermione were at a loss for words.

* *

Three weeks have passed since the funeral of Cho Chang. All the Ravenclaws were to wear black pins for a month. Cho was very popular and very kind that it was hard for everyone in the house to accept her death. Mandy Brocklehurst, of course, spilled the beans to her fellow Ravenclaws. Everyone thought Harry the murderer of Cho, which made him more depressed. "Is that him? the murderer?"; "Famous Harry Potter, indeed."; "Just because he is who he is, Dumbledore supports him .."; "Strutter!"; "Really! Pulling her leg?".

Even the teachers were suspicious of Harry. Madam Pomfrey noticed the five cuts Harry made on Cho's arm and talked about it to Professor McGonagall - in public. "Poppy! Can we talk about this somewhere ELSE?

This has got to be the worst time of Harry's life.

* *

"'Arry! Ron! 'Ermione! It's good ter see yeh three!" said Hagrid.

Harry marched into Hagrid's cottage and sat on Hagrid's dining table, leaving everyone at the door.

"Hello Hagrid. We're going to Hogsmeade. Would you like to come with us?" said Hermione, and she came to a whisper when she saw Hagrid glare at Harry. "Harry's a little ... down there."

"Yeah, man." added Ron. "He hasn't been doing well in school these past few weeks. Everyone is giving him a hard time. Dumbledore offered him time off but wouldn't accept it."

"Blimey. Does 'ee still think it's 'is fault Cho is dead?"

Ron and Hermione nodded.

They looked at the gloomy Harry sitting on the dining table, his left cheek resting on the back of his right hand.

"Harry. Are you okay in there?"

Harry didn't answer.

"Harry. Hagrid's coming with us. We'd better go now." said Ron.

"You .. you guys go on ahead without me. I don't feel like going." mumbled Harry. He didn't want any more whispering and stabbing stares behind his back.

"'Arry. I'll kick anyone 'oo makes a crack 'boutcha!"

"Let's leave him here." Hermione said to Hagrid. "Alright Harry! We'll bring you some sweets!"

"Are you sure Harry? Bill and my mum are gonna be there." said Ron, trying to shut Hermione up. "And they would be really disappointed if you don't show up. Plus my mom is very worried about you."

Harry finally raised his head and sat up. "Alright." Mrs. Weasley was the woman who Harry thought treated him like a son. And that kind of treatment is just what Harry needed at this moment.

"Tha's great, 'Arry!" said Hagrid.

"Off we go!"

Hermione's arm was around Harry's shoulders on their way to Hogsmeade. Harry's face was very red from trying hard not to cry. Ron and Hagrid stayed silent behind them.

"He's been like this all week. You should see Hermione's robes. Them shoulders are all wet .." Ron informed Hagrid.

"Eh?"

"Harry cries on her shoulders all the time .."

"Oh. It 'ats me jes ter see 'Arry cry all the time! Kids can be so cruel!"

"Hermione kicks my shins everytime I mention Cho or anything about her death."

* *

"Oi! Harry! Over here!" called Fred from afar. He was at the door of Three Broomsticks, with George next to him.

"Hey, Fred! George!" said Ron.

Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Hagrid joined Ginny, Fred and George on a table. Their Butterbeer were half full.

"Bill and Mum are coming any minute. I miss Bill! .. are you okay Harry? Do you want anything?" said Ginny, raising her right brow.

Harry didn't answer. His cheek was still on Hermione's shoulder like a baby. And his face was still very red. He could still see Ravenclaws whispering and pointing at him and Slytherins chuckling at his sight.

To make matters worse Malfoy bursted into the bar with his pathetic companions, Crabbe and Goyle. "Oh! Is that Harry Potter crying? He's crying! Lookitim!" Malfoy chuckled, Crabbe and Goyle joined in. Some of the kids giggled and laughed quietly.

"Shut yer hole Malfoy!" said Hermione, almost hitting Harry's face.

"Fuck off, mudblood! Famous Harry Potter is actually CRYING!!"

Harry strained his ears.

"Do you want a purple face, Malfoy?" Ron stood up, his chair dragged away behind his legs.

"What are you defending a killer for? He choked that hot-ass Ravenclaw Seeker to death! Probably tried to rape the bitch, eh?"

"Get out of here, Malfoy. Leave Harry alone." said George.

"Or WHAT?" Malfoy gave them an evil smile.

Suddenly, there came a loud scream from outside. It didn't sound good.

"Holy COW UDDERS!" said a male voice from outside.

"It's Bill!" Ginny stood up.

* *

Harry, Hermione, Ron, Hagrid, Fred, George, and Ginny all dashed outside to see what was going on. Bill was down unconscious and Mrs. Weasley was floating very high, her hands cupped againts her neck. The delitresan was very hard to track. There were screams surrounding the area.

"Damnit! He's back!" thought Harry.

"The delitresan!" said Hermione.

"Mum! BILL!" Ginny ran to Bill.

"Ginny! Come back here!" The sound of Harry's voice made everyone look at him. He tried to grab her robe, but she escaped. George ran after her, he was armed and ready with his wand.

Ginny was down on bended knee next to Bill. Suddenly, Ginny flew backwards, landing on Ron. "What the?" She was kicked by the delitresan.

"Are you okay Ginny?" said Hermione.

"Rictusempra!" called George.

Nothing happened. Mrs. Weasley was still floating, fighting for her life. Bill was still lying there unconscious.

"Shit!"

"Nothing happened! The delitresan won't budge!" Ron yelled.

Mrs. Weasley's hands dropped from her neck and hung motionlessly. She had given up.

"NO!" Ron's eyes widened. He didn't want to think that his mother was dead. Harry's heart sank very low and felt the his spine shudder.

"You son of a bitch!" the three Weasley boys yelled in unison.

Ron took out his wand. Just when he was about to attack, Professor McKinney stretched her arms out before him. "Stop! It's too dangerous!"

"What? Get the hell out of my way, Professor!"

"Stop!" She took out her wand. "Accio!"

A broomstick came flying across Fred and George. They immediately recognized the type of broomstick.

"A Firebolt!"

The Firebolt landed on her hand. She hopped onto her Firebolt and kicked off into the air.

Professor McKinney flew around Mrs. Weasley twice. She stopped above her and took out her wand. "Manife Videre!"

A silvery ribbon came out from the tip of her wand and it landed in front of Mrs. Weasley. A frighteningly tall(imagine three Hagrids standing on each other's heads), liquid-like, silvery body started to form very slowly from head to foot and a very large hand appeared around Mrs. Weasley's neck.

"I see it! The delitresan!" Hermione grabbed Harry's arm, frightened.

McKinney fearlessly flew above the delitresan and, suddenly, disappeared. No, wait -- she didn't. The delitresan stood up. His head started moving very fast, looking at different directions. It was as if he was trying to catch a fly. McKinney flew very quickly that it was impossible to see her move. "Holy MOLY!" awed Fred.

"What the?" said Harry, taking a step backwards. She appeared right in front of Harry.

"Rictusempra!" she called.

The silvery monster was hit by her spell and fell on the ground. It let go of Mrs. Weasley's neck.

She suddenly disappeared like the wind in front of Harry's own eyes, leaving her broomstick twirling to the ground.

McKinney appeared before the delitresan a second later, with a zig-zag shape of wind following her.

She pointed her wand at the delitresan. "Manife Destrien!" she called.

Another ribbon of silver popped out of her wand and hit the delitresan's chest. It started to glow this neon green colour and seconds later bursted into a million silver glass pieces.

A few seconds later, everything went quiet. The silence was then broken by the Weasleys. Fred and Ron ran to Mrs. Weasley; Ginny and George sat next to Bill. All eyes were on Professor McKinney, the quickest witch they had ever seen. They couldn't believe their eyes.

"Lily!" Mr. Ollivander ran to Professor McKinney with about five people (looked like his co-workers at his shop) trailing behind him.

"Thank you again for helping us. You are amazing!" He shook her hand very fast.

Whispers started to surround her.

"Man, she sure can fly."; "We've got a new Chaser for Gryffindor, men!"; ".. yeah, that new Defence Againts the Dark Arts teacher .."; "Check out that good looking red head! Is he alive?"; "I hope that old lady is okay!"; "McKinney, is it?"

Harry, with Hermione linked to his arm, had his eyes and mouth wide open. "Who is she? What is she?"

"Harry! Help us!" Ron was in tears.

END OF CHAPTER SIX

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UGH. please review!!! this chapter was so hard to write.
....... i, er, hope you liked it.
anyway, just wait for chapter 7. ^_^ something is REALLY going to happen! ---i'd better stop saying the same things...ugh. updating and updating ... yuck!