A/N - Thanks to all my reviewers for their support and advice. Sorry about the delay - I was trying to upload it yesterday but was having trouble with ff.net. I was going to try again in the evening but got addicted to the Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony! LOL. Sad, huh? Well, the cricket has finished so I need to watch some form of sport. (New Zealand lost *sigh*, but at least it was South Africa that won, not Australia. And I'm pleased to say that my fave cricketer bowled the ball that SA hit for a 4 thus winning the game... I'm so proud of him!)
To Icefire - I would love some challenges to try and use - got very stuck doing this chapter, haven't started on the next so any inspiration would be welcomed :-)
Mandraco - the reason I wasn't going for Oz? 2 words - Shane Warne. Can't bear to support any team containing him. I wasn't specifically going for NZ, I don't mind South Africa either, I was just going for anyone but Australia. That's not to say that I dislike all members of the Aussie team, just some in particular. Going for NZ for some reason? Tee hee, my reasons: Andre Adams, Daniel Vettori, Adam Parore. Enough said! (Of course I support them for their talents, not their looks! What kind of person do you think I am?) *lol*
T - who are you? I don't think the head/groin injury would be appropriate in this fanfic but I *am* considering a separate fanfic using that specific event. :-) Does anyone know if there is Sports fanfic? If they have N'sync fanfic (*shudder*) then surely there is sports fic somewhere....
Okay, as for chronological vs character, voting was about half/half, so I will wait and see which plot bunny bites me first :-) Thanks for all the support and email me [1]mikki@nzoomail.com with challenges and plot ideas!
Chapter Seven - Worried Witches and Wizards
The day before the slave auction felt like the longest day of Harry's life. It seemed like everywhere he went, giggles and whispering followed. He was tormented by it - In the corridors, in the Great Hall, even in the Gryffindor Common Room. Matters were made worse by Seamus popping up at random intervals asking, "So, you chickened out yet Potter?" in his loud Irish drawl.
Although Harry didn't plan to make the news public, he was absolutely terrified and he knew that if it weren't for the promise he had made to Dumbledore he would never make it onto the auction stage. He was doing his best to keep calm and stay brave, but he was a bit concerned at the number of times he had seen the scary sixth year girl in the school corridors. He was convinced that she was there even when his classes were the only nearby classes and she had no reason to be there, and he had taken to avoiding walking to class without Ron or Hermione by his side. The prospect that this girl might buy him and make him be her slave made him shudder. He had seriously considered asking Ron to buy him at the slave auction, but he didn't know how much money the girl had, and somehow it didn't seem fair to rig the bidding.
At dinner on the night before the auction, the entire school was buzzing. People were talking, gossiping and laughing loudly. Harry's fear was allayed somewhat by the knowledge that this was the first time there had been such a jovial atmosphere at Hogwarts since the return of Voldemort. From what he could see, every Hogwarts student was excited about the following day's auction. Even those students who could not spare the money to bid for a slave, such as Colin Creevey who had earlier stopped Harry for a chat, were excitedly speculating about who would buy whom, how much money would be raised and who their dream slave would be. ("I'd love to buy Filch and lock him in a room with Fluffy!" grinned Ron.)
It was clear that the slave auction was the best thing to happen to Hogwarts in a long while, and Harry guiltily filed away his "run away from Hogwarts before the auction" plans. Come on, Harry! You are a Gryffindor for crying out loud! Surely you have the guts to stand up on a platform and then do chores for someone for a day. You did the chores for the Dursleys for 10 years remember, and that wasn't even for a good cause. You can do it! All these people are counting on you!
Harry could tell that Ginny and Hermione were just as nervous as he was, perhaps even more if they were anywhere near as good as him at hiding it. During the evening before the auction, Hermione and Harry settled down in a corner of the Gryffindor common room for another heart-to-heart chat. Ron was otherwise preoccupied, playing a rambunctious game of Exploding Snap with Seamus, Dean and Colin Creevey. Ginny and Neville appeared to be having a deep and meaningful conversation in the opposite corner of the common room. Harry pointed out this to Hermione.
"Hey, there's an interesting development... I wonder if something is going to happen there?"
Hermione pondered this for a moment.
"I don't know... I mean it would be nice - they are both lovely people and they would go well together and make each other happy, but do you think they would go for each other?"
"Well, it's no secret that Neville liked *you* for a while, Mione, but he *did* enjoy having Ginny as his date for the Yule Ball. And he has mentioned Ginny quite a lot in recent weeks... maybe he is falling for her? Has she said anything to you?"
"I probably haven't been the best friend to her as of late... I've been a bit preoccupied with myself, I'm ashamed to say."
"Preoccupied with yourself? Or more particularly with *Ron*?" Harry teased. Hermione blushed. "Perhaps a bit of both. I guess Ron has been on my mind a bit, but the OWLs and the whole prefect business has also been weighing on me. Not to mention my worrying about the slave auction. I'm...." she trailed off.
"Yes?" Harry prompted.
"I'm just really worried about tomorrow. I mean, what if I get up there and no one wants to buy me. It's okay for you - everyone knows that you are going to be the mostly hotly contested item at the auction. But the rest of us..."
Harry laughed out loud. Hermione looked upset, so he hurriedly tried to explain himself.
"Hermione, I'm sorry for laughing! It's just that... well... you are scared that no one is going to buy you, and you're convinced that I am immune from that fear because *everyone* is going to want to buy me. In reality, that's exactly what I am afraid of! Anyone at Hogwarts can buy me, even the people that I am scared of or dislike. Snape, Pansy Parkinson, even the scary 6^th year who spends half he life stalking me...
Tomorrow when I get up on the auction stage, I could end up in the hands of any of those people, and let me tell you, that thought is absolutely terrifying!"
"And what about...Never mind." Hermione started to say something, but obviously thought better of it. "I guess my fears are just stupid then."
"Of course not, Mione! Let me tell you something that I've never told anyone else before. When I first came to Hogwarts and saw the sorting ceremony I was convinced that I would get up there and put on the Sorting Hat, and then... nothing."
"Nothing?" she sounded puzzled.
"I thought that I would just sit there for ages, and the hat wouldn't see anything in me, and then McGonagall would rip it off my head and declare that there had been a mistake. I wasn't really a wizard, and I would be sent back to the Dursleys at once!"
Hermione giggled.
"Harry, I am flattered that you would confide in me, but really, that's just an irrational fear! Of course there was no mistake made! You are a fine wizard."
"And you are a fine witch. I am positive that there will be no shortage of bidders on you tomorrow. In fact, I can guarantee you that there are a number of people wanting to buy you. So don't worry too much. Everything will be fine, I promise!"
"A promise from Harry Potter, eh? Now I know that I have nothing to worry about!"
She grinned at him, and he smiled back. "Anyway, Harry, I might go and get my beauty sleep. Got a big day tomorrow!" She leaned down and kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks for listening to my stupid problems. You're the best!"
"No problem. Thanks for listening to mine. Goodnight!"
"'Night Harry."
As Hermione left the common room, Harry decided that she had the right idea and he should go to sleep too. He wandered over to the Exploding Snap game to let his roommates know that he was going to bed early. Ginny passed him in the middle of the common room, giving him a Weasley grin and a cheery "G'night, Harry! See you in the morning!"
Ron wasn't ready to go to sleep, as he told Harry that he had just got a new issue of "Quidditch Monthly" that he wanted to read before bed. Seamus and Dean decided to turn in early as well, Seamus saying, "We need a big rest before the excitement of tomorrow. Besides, someone has to stay in the dorm to make sure you don't try and escape out the window, Harry!"
As they exited the common room, Harry spotted Neville coming over to talk to Colin. They talked quickly in low voices, frequently sneaking furtive looks around the room, as if to check that no one was listening. Wonder what they are up to? he thought.
As they walked up the stairs to their dormitory, Harry asked Seamus, "How's the big plan going?"
"Ah...it's going well, Harry! People around here are so dumb, even the smart ones! No one suspects a thing!"
In the darkness of the hallway, Seamus, Dean and `sweet, innocent' Harry Potter grinned evilly.
References
1. mailto:mikki@nzoomail.com
To Icefire - I would love some challenges to try and use - got very stuck doing this chapter, haven't started on the next so any inspiration would be welcomed :-)
Mandraco - the reason I wasn't going for Oz? 2 words - Shane Warne. Can't bear to support any team containing him. I wasn't specifically going for NZ, I don't mind South Africa either, I was just going for anyone but Australia. That's not to say that I dislike all members of the Aussie team, just some in particular. Going for NZ for some reason? Tee hee, my reasons: Andre Adams, Daniel Vettori, Adam Parore. Enough said! (Of course I support them for their talents, not their looks! What kind of person do you think I am?) *lol*
T - who are you? I don't think the head/groin injury would be appropriate in this fanfic but I *am* considering a separate fanfic using that specific event. :-) Does anyone know if there is Sports fanfic? If they have N'sync fanfic (*shudder*) then surely there is sports fic somewhere....
Okay, as for chronological vs character, voting was about half/half, so I will wait and see which plot bunny bites me first :-) Thanks for all the support and email me [1]mikki@nzoomail.com with challenges and plot ideas!
Chapter Seven - Worried Witches and Wizards
The day before the slave auction felt like the longest day of Harry's life. It seemed like everywhere he went, giggles and whispering followed. He was tormented by it - In the corridors, in the Great Hall, even in the Gryffindor Common Room. Matters were made worse by Seamus popping up at random intervals asking, "So, you chickened out yet Potter?" in his loud Irish drawl.
Although Harry didn't plan to make the news public, he was absolutely terrified and he knew that if it weren't for the promise he had made to Dumbledore he would never make it onto the auction stage. He was doing his best to keep calm and stay brave, but he was a bit concerned at the number of times he had seen the scary sixth year girl in the school corridors. He was convinced that she was there even when his classes were the only nearby classes and she had no reason to be there, and he had taken to avoiding walking to class without Ron or Hermione by his side. The prospect that this girl might buy him and make him be her slave made him shudder. He had seriously considered asking Ron to buy him at the slave auction, but he didn't know how much money the girl had, and somehow it didn't seem fair to rig the bidding.
At dinner on the night before the auction, the entire school was buzzing. People were talking, gossiping and laughing loudly. Harry's fear was allayed somewhat by the knowledge that this was the first time there had been such a jovial atmosphere at Hogwarts since the return of Voldemort. From what he could see, every Hogwarts student was excited about the following day's auction. Even those students who could not spare the money to bid for a slave, such as Colin Creevey who had earlier stopped Harry for a chat, were excitedly speculating about who would buy whom, how much money would be raised and who their dream slave would be. ("I'd love to buy Filch and lock him in a room with Fluffy!" grinned Ron.)
It was clear that the slave auction was the best thing to happen to Hogwarts in a long while, and Harry guiltily filed away his "run away from Hogwarts before the auction" plans. Come on, Harry! You are a Gryffindor for crying out loud! Surely you have the guts to stand up on a platform and then do chores for someone for a day. You did the chores for the Dursleys for 10 years remember, and that wasn't even for a good cause. You can do it! All these people are counting on you!
Harry could tell that Ginny and Hermione were just as nervous as he was, perhaps even more if they were anywhere near as good as him at hiding it. During the evening before the auction, Hermione and Harry settled down in a corner of the Gryffindor common room for another heart-to-heart chat. Ron was otherwise preoccupied, playing a rambunctious game of Exploding Snap with Seamus, Dean and Colin Creevey. Ginny and Neville appeared to be having a deep and meaningful conversation in the opposite corner of the common room. Harry pointed out this to Hermione.
"Hey, there's an interesting development... I wonder if something is going to happen there?"
Hermione pondered this for a moment.
"I don't know... I mean it would be nice - they are both lovely people and they would go well together and make each other happy, but do you think they would go for each other?"
"Well, it's no secret that Neville liked *you* for a while, Mione, but he *did* enjoy having Ginny as his date for the Yule Ball. And he has mentioned Ginny quite a lot in recent weeks... maybe he is falling for her? Has she said anything to you?"
"I probably haven't been the best friend to her as of late... I've been a bit preoccupied with myself, I'm ashamed to say."
"Preoccupied with yourself? Or more particularly with *Ron*?" Harry teased. Hermione blushed. "Perhaps a bit of both. I guess Ron has been on my mind a bit, but the OWLs and the whole prefect business has also been weighing on me. Not to mention my worrying about the slave auction. I'm...." she trailed off.
"Yes?" Harry prompted.
"I'm just really worried about tomorrow. I mean, what if I get up there and no one wants to buy me. It's okay for you - everyone knows that you are going to be the mostly hotly contested item at the auction. But the rest of us..."
Harry laughed out loud. Hermione looked upset, so he hurriedly tried to explain himself.
"Hermione, I'm sorry for laughing! It's just that... well... you are scared that no one is going to buy you, and you're convinced that I am immune from that fear because *everyone* is going to want to buy me. In reality, that's exactly what I am afraid of! Anyone at Hogwarts can buy me, even the people that I am scared of or dislike. Snape, Pansy Parkinson, even the scary 6^th year who spends half he life stalking me...
Tomorrow when I get up on the auction stage, I could end up in the hands of any of those people, and let me tell you, that thought is absolutely terrifying!"
"And what about...Never mind." Hermione started to say something, but obviously thought better of it. "I guess my fears are just stupid then."
"Of course not, Mione! Let me tell you something that I've never told anyone else before. When I first came to Hogwarts and saw the sorting ceremony I was convinced that I would get up there and put on the Sorting Hat, and then... nothing."
"Nothing?" she sounded puzzled.
"I thought that I would just sit there for ages, and the hat wouldn't see anything in me, and then McGonagall would rip it off my head and declare that there had been a mistake. I wasn't really a wizard, and I would be sent back to the Dursleys at once!"
Hermione giggled.
"Harry, I am flattered that you would confide in me, but really, that's just an irrational fear! Of course there was no mistake made! You are a fine wizard."
"And you are a fine witch. I am positive that there will be no shortage of bidders on you tomorrow. In fact, I can guarantee you that there are a number of people wanting to buy you. So don't worry too much. Everything will be fine, I promise!"
"A promise from Harry Potter, eh? Now I know that I have nothing to worry about!"
She grinned at him, and he smiled back. "Anyway, Harry, I might go and get my beauty sleep. Got a big day tomorrow!" She leaned down and kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks for listening to my stupid problems. You're the best!"
"No problem. Thanks for listening to mine. Goodnight!"
"'Night Harry."
As Hermione left the common room, Harry decided that she had the right idea and he should go to sleep too. He wandered over to the Exploding Snap game to let his roommates know that he was going to bed early. Ginny passed him in the middle of the common room, giving him a Weasley grin and a cheery "G'night, Harry! See you in the morning!"
Ron wasn't ready to go to sleep, as he told Harry that he had just got a new issue of "Quidditch Monthly" that he wanted to read before bed. Seamus and Dean decided to turn in early as well, Seamus saying, "We need a big rest before the excitement of tomorrow. Besides, someone has to stay in the dorm to make sure you don't try and escape out the window, Harry!"
As they exited the common room, Harry spotted Neville coming over to talk to Colin. They talked quickly in low voices, frequently sneaking furtive looks around the room, as if to check that no one was listening. Wonder what they are up to? he thought.
As they walked up the stairs to their dormitory, Harry asked Seamus, "How's the big plan going?"
"Ah...it's going well, Harry! People around here are so dumb, even the smart ones! No one suspects a thing!"
In the darkness of the hallway, Seamus, Dean and `sweet, innocent' Harry Potter grinned evilly.
References
1. mailto:mikki@nzoomail.com
