Time Changes Everything
A Harry Potter fan fiction by Pottergirl
Chapter 19 : Near-Fatal MishapsHarry groaned when his alarm bell rang. He had had very little sleep and regretted setting an early morning Quidditch practice that day. Sleep had forgone him that night – he could still feel the sting on his cheek when he recalled the night's incident and flinched. What had he done wrong?
Harry sat up in bed and wondered why girls were so unpredictable. Then he got up and deciding that he had to be a responsible Quidditch captain, went to wake up Ron.
~*~*~*~
Once Quidditch practice was over, Harry was reminded of his troubles. Things seemed to be getting more and more complicated and he had no idea of what was going on. It irritated him – what was happening? It was strange – one moment she was okay with him – she had hugged him – and the next moment she'd hate him. She slapped him!
Harry and Ron reached the Great Hall earlier than many students that morning since they had gotten up early for practice. Currently, Fred and George were keeping his mind off his worries.
'Really, we're going to flatten 'em this time!'
'That Cup's going to be ours!'
'Definitely,' Ron yawned and sat down in his place. 'But don't forget who will be up against when we win against Hufflepuff.'
'How're you so sure we'll win against Hufflepuff? They've got that new Seeker – ' Harry's pre-match worries were surfacing and the match was still a day away.
'Don't worry, Skipper, we'll see to them,' George laughed, making a "club sandwich" with bacon and eggs.
'And then Slytherin…remember last time?' Ron groaned.
'We did win,' Fred tried. Harry was getting quite tense. It didn't help either that his scar was throbbing again. He was beginning to get irritated and felt like banging his fist on the table. And then – Ginny came along.
Harry's hopes fell when he looked at her; she definitely didn't seem any better and seemed to be upholding the night's anger, whatever it was for. He turned away, feeling quite nervous but in a different way than he felt before a match. He picked up a toast and started buttering it for his breakfast. Hermione joined them just then, sitting down in the empty seat next to Ginny.
'G'morning,' Ron managed through his breakfast. Hermione frowned slightly.
'It's going to be a bad morning – it's Potions first and Professor Snape mentioned a potion in the last class. I couldn't find it in the Library and he's going to ask us about it!'
Ron grinned. 'Why? Maybe it's in the Restricted section? But anyway, you don't have to worry – he knows that you know all the answers and as always, he's not going to ask you any questions!'
Hermione looked doubtful but slightly reassured and began on her breakfast. Harry wondered if he could ask her about Ginny. Hermione could help him out with whatever wrong he had done.
'How did your Potions test go yesterday, Ginny?' Hermione asked Ginny. Ginny didn't look at Hermione; she was searching for something in her bag.
'Ginny?' Hermione asked. Ginny looked up.
'What?' she snapped. Hermione looked slightly taken-aback.
'Is…is there anything wrong? Something missing?' she asked tentatively. Ginny ignored Hermione and turned back to her bag.
'Not a morning person, didn't I tell you?' Ron said in a low voice to a surprised and hassled Hermione. Harry had watched the exchange and was quite bewildered – and worried. Ginny was supposed to be angry with him. Why was she snapping at Hermione? Was it that…bad?
There was the sound of a book banging on the Gryffindor table and several people looked up. Ginny seemed to be furious.
'Shut up, Ron!' she snapped and was fortunate that none of the teachers saw the minor commotion. Ron raised an eyebrow when Hermione looked at him. Harry realized that Ginny was very, very angry and he knew he had everything to do with it. She had been okay before he had tired to…
He felt his face become warm at the very thought.
He had to do something about it, he resolved.
'Harry, can I borrow your Charms text? My Freezing Charms has a candle burn in the center,' said Ron and Harry nodded, bending to take his Charms textbook out of his bag. He frowned. His scar was throbbing much more painfully and on top of that he had Potions next.
There was a sudden strange thud as Harry bent down and a twanging sound which seemed to be resonating through his seat. Then, there was a sharp clatter – as if a metal object had fallen on the marble floor. Harry straightened just as Ron let out a gasp. Harry looked around at the shocked faces of the Gryffindors.
'What happened?' he asked, surprised. Ron bent down and picked up a large fruit knife from behind Harry's seat. He looked very pale and there was discussion all around the table.
'What?!' demanded Harry.
'You bent and someone threw this at you! Who did this?!' Ron gasped. Some people were now standing up in horror.
'I – I – I…I'm s-s-orry!'
Harry was already shocked and he immediately looked up at Ginny's frightened stammer. She looked pale and her eyes were wide, as if she had just realized something. Everyone at the Gryffindor table was looking at her and she was now trembling.
'I – I – I d-didn't meant to – I was cutting the – the – a – apple…I d - didn't w-w-want…t – to…'
Ron finally found his voice.
'Cutting an apple? Ginny, that knife –' he said, his eyes wide.
'What is going on here?!' came the crisp and business-like voice of Professor McGonagall, the temporary Headmistress while Professor Dumbledore was away. She stood behind Hermione's seat.
'What happened here?' There was a strange awkwardness and everyone remained silent. Ginny was now trembling violently, clutching the table, her knuckles white.
'Miss Granger?'
Hermione obediently stood up, feeling awkward and kept glancing at Ginny nervously as she spoke, unsure of what was happening.
'I don't know everything, Professor but it's just that Harry was bending down to take something out of his bag and the knife Ginny was using to cut the fruit somehow flung across and just missed him.'
Professor McGonagall looked quite surprised and shocked.
'I – I – I didn't mean it, honestly, Professor – it w – w – was an a – accident!' Ginny stammered and most of the Great Hall had fallen silent with the commotion at the Gryffindor table.
Professor McGonagall seemed quite flustered.
'Well!' She let out a breath, still surprised. 'Miss Weasley, I do not know how this came about to happen but I would advise you to be more careful! I do hope you realize how…dangerous that was!'
The Professor's speech had an admonishing tone in it and Ginny seemed to have gone paler.
'Twenty points from Gryffindor and please resume your breakfast everyone!' Professor McGonagall said, annoyed and angry and she walked away.
Harry could feel the gaze of many people on him – as again he was the centre of attention. But he ignored it. He was still surprised and couldn't take his eyes off Ginny. She was still trembling with fear and embarrassment that everyone's eyes were on her and they were whispering amongst themselves about the episode. Hermione laid a hand on Ginny's arm to reassure her.
'I really didn't m – mean to…it – it was an a-accident!' Ginny said, looking at Harry almost pleadingly. Harry saw tears well up in her eyes and leaned across the table immediately to take her hand. He knew many people were watching him but he didn't care.
'Ginny, it's okay, I know it was an accident, I –' he reassured her desperately, feeling very sorry for her but she pulled her hand away from him as if it had been burnt. Her tears began falling rapidly. Her eyes were still wide and she looked terrified.
'No!' she gasped, tears falling rapidly and got up.
'Ginny – ' Harry said quickly but Ginny did not look back as she ran out of the Great Hall, followed by the bewildered stares of many students.
Professor McGonagall seemed to have gone white with suppressed fury.
'Please finish your breakfast and go to your classes!' she ordered, her anger evident in her tone.
Harry felt a strange lump form in his throat. Something was definitely not right and he was so worried about Ginny, he himself wanted to jump up and run after her. But he felt a hand on his and looked up to see Hermione, seeming just as troubled as he was.
'I'll talk to her,' she whispered and that was the only thing that kept Harry in his seat. His troubled thoughts, however, did not leave him.
Author's Notes:-Surprising, wasn't it that I updated? Yes, I know I had said I won't for another 3-4 weeks because of my exams but I managed to squeeze some time out from History. But – since exams start this Monday, April 15, I cannot write another chapter soon. It will be after the said 3-4 weeks. A good thing is I am approaching the end of this story…
I hope and hope that those of you who have been with this story since I first posted it will find the end to your satisfaction! J
And now, I have to thank you for the wonderful, incredible, marvellous, fantastic, incredible, heart-warming reviews! Reviews are what keep me going! And I've replied to most of the questions of reviewers below. If you want to ask any questions, just ask them in the review and I'll be glad to answer as many as I can (without giving away the mystery, in simpler words! J)
Kat : You didn't ask any questions but I have to repply to you. I have to clarify I will not discontinue writing. I have to end this story…I love it myself and I've planned a proper end. Do keep checking back for updates…sometimes they are a little far apart but that's because I have got different exams coming up for the next few weeks.
Google Boy : Wow! That's a good list you have got there and I'm glad you took the time out to make those inquiries/guesses.
1. I can't answer this sorry, and this doesn't mean the answer to the question is 'no' but I would be giving away a part of the mystery if I answered – whether I answer in 'no' or 'yes'. You'll see why I am saying that when you read the end.
2. Can't answer that, sorry but it's the same as the answer to question (1).
3. Well…okay…this question is a wee bit manageable. The things in the forest Malfoy was talking about…well…not exactly but that's a good observation. You're going on the right path though.
4. Oh, sorry again…but…I can't tell you.
I know you must be very disappointed but you will see why I didn't answer all these questions, when you read the end. I will give a detailed explanation and you'll get all the answers to these questions. Keep reading! J
Equasar : Thanks for the compliment! You too, like Google Boy are going on the right path and you'll get your answers in the explanation I give at the end of this story.
Celtic Ember : I didn't exactly get what you meant…what do you not see happening? Ginny slapping Harry?
Munku-JGSPTV : Thanks for the awesome review and I'm sorry about that 3-4 weeks thing but I can't help it really. I got this chapter out with great difficulty and since exams start Monday and will continue with gaps throughout the month, I will not be able to write much. But don't worry, I love writing, I know what I have to write next and as soon as I get time, I'll do chapter 20. And I do hope you are not disoriented/disappointed any longer! J
It's bye time for now…I promise once again I'll give you chapter 20 as soon as I get time in between but it will be at least 2 weeks. Get it? TWO…not even three…you get a concession! J
See you then…keep reading and just remember one thing – do not lose hope! J
Luv,
Pottergirl ameerak86@abba.zzn.com