An announcer goes up to the podium in front of millions of awaiting,
anticipating eyes. "And the award for Best Author of the Day goes
to.......bunnie!!" he says with a flourish.
A girl with her black hair all in curls wearing a sparkling pink dress stands up and starts hyperventilating. She runs up to the stage, grabs the award from the awaiting presenter and wobbles up to the podium. "Thank you so much!" she says to a barrage of applause.
"First of all, I would like to thank God above all things, my parents, my friends, and the reviewers!! They make all the difference! To Angel-4 ever: You like me! You really like me! To Alejandra: Thanks, girl!! By the way, I did write another chapter...I wrote like 8 more chapters! To Jereni: I love yooooooouuuuuuu!!! Thanks for reviewing! And, I know that Snape is out of character a bit, but you'll just have to keep reading to find out why! To Quicksilver Fallen: I am so glad you liked my fic! Your review really boosted up my confidence! And to Alicia: I know that my first chapter has a lot of Japanese anime stuff in it, but if you would have just taken the time to read the rest of my fic, you would have found out that there is a lot more to my fic! Besides, the anime will be worked in later....(Damn!! I just revealed a secret!! Note to self...no more slip-ups) To Meli: Thank you, I am a literary goddess! Thank you to all my readers! Please, keep reading and reviewing! It is much appreciated!"
The small girl, tears streaking her cheeks, makes her way down the stage to the stairs. On the very first step down, she trips and tumbles over, rolling all the way down the steps, landing in a little, pretty pile on the floor as everyone gasps........
*Okay, a bit random......but when I get an idea, I just have to roll with it!! One more note to go..........If you would please R&R every chapter, so that I can know if all my chapters are alright, then that would be great!! Reviewing every chapter also helps me to know that you are still reading my stuff....and boosts my self esteem!! Who doesn't need a boost in self esteem now?* ~bunnie
************************************************************************
Chapter 9
The end of the very first, taxing week of school finally ended, but no without a load of homework assigned for the weekend. Cassie and Hermione earned some free time of their own to go take a tour of the castle by completing all their assignments way ahead of time, leaving Ron and Harry to finish theirs by themselves. They were back to predicting what would happen to them in the future month.
"Hmmm, I'll meet with an old friend on this day," Ron said, sucking on the end of his quill. "And, I'll take a fall on this other day here..."
"I think I'll have a close brush with death here," Harry said, scribbling it in his calendar. "And, maybe I'll lose something important on this day......maybe not," he said, scratching out something else. "Quidditch match is scheduled for that day...."
"Hey Harry, what about Quidditch? Any positions open?" Ron said, his curiosity peaked. Harry cleared his desk of all the papers and took out the roster that Professor McGonagall, also the head of Gryffindor House, had given him. Hs scanned the list.
"Well, Fred and George are graduating this year, along with Alicia Spinnet, Katie Bell, and Angelina Johnson, the three Chasers. I'm the seeker....which means that there's one position open! Ron, you can try out!" Harry said excitedly. Ron eyes lit up.
"Do you really think so?" he said, his mouth gaping.
"Well, yeah! Let's see.....we can have tryouts for our Keeper in two weeks, so that our new player can have a chance to practice before our first match in November," Harry said, making a note in his roster. Ron nodded and grabbed his things. "Where are you going?" Harry asked, getting up as well.
"I'm going to go practice, of course! Do you think Fred and George will mind if I use one of their broomsticks?" Ron said as he got out of the room through the portrait hole.
"I don't think so, but it's worth a try!" Harry yelled, following his best friend out. They ran down to the Great Hall, knowing that it was dinnertime, and that the twins never missed dinner. The two boys slowed down and stopped for a couple of minutes to take a breather.
"You think they're there?" Harry said in between gasps for breath.
"Oh, without a doubt," Ron replied, pushing the doors to the Great Hall open. Harry and Ron walked straight to one end of the Gryffindor table and looked down. There were three distinct red balls, one by itself by the middle and the other two together at the end of the table. Ron pointed to the two red-heads at the end. "That's them!" Harry gave a nod as Ron led him towards to where the twins undoubtedly were. But, something was strange about them, they way they were acting.
"Fred? George?" said Ron meekly, shaking the twins. George, who seemed to be leaning on Fred, fell of the bench. Harry looked down at the seventh year in surprise. George was snoring, and very loudly too. Harry peeked around to see how Fred would react, but he didn't react. Fred just slumped over, his face crashing into the food on his plate. Harry gave him a few pokes in the arm.
"You think they're out good?" Harry asked nervously. He continued to prod Fred. Ron knelt down to where George had fallen. His brother was now sleeping very comfortably in a fetal position, sucking his thumb.
"They must be exhausted," Ron said. "I mean, since they opened they're new stores, it's been a lot of work for them. And I heard them saying that they got at least several hundred orders this first week alone!" "Wonder what that's doing to their grades," Harry thought aloud.
"Does it really matter now Harry?" Ron said a bit sarcastically. "I mean, let's just take the brooms. They won't mind as long as I don't ruin them." Harry rolled his eyes and ran his fingers through his messy black hair. He gave his best friend a nod, and they were off to the lockers adjacent to the Quidditch pitch.
"You know, you should be a better role model for your sister," Harry said hesitantly as he watched Ron pull out George's broom.
"Yeah, Ron," said a voice full of contempt from behind the two of them. Startled, they looked around to see that the third red-head at the table, Ginny, had followed them all the way there.
"Okay, Ginny, you take Fred's broom then," Harry said, throwing her the wooden pole with twigs attached to the end. Ron looked at Harry as if he were a lunatic.
"Harry, you can't! You, you.....you just can't! I mean, it's stealing!" Ron stuttered.
"And why is it stealing? I mean, you did it too!" Ginny said in a tone of voice that she had never used before. Clearly, she was fed up with being pushed around. "You set a very good example for me, big brother!"
"Oh, she's got you there," Harry said, stepping aside. He didn't want to get in the middle of sibling rivalry.
"Well, let's get on to the field then!" Ginny said smartly, pushing her tall brother aside. Ron watched her stomp off to the middle of the field, eyes wide open.
"Can you believe her?" he said, not tearing his eyes as his sister took off into the air.
"Well, yes. She does take a little bit after you, now, doesn't she?" And with that, Harry summoned his own Firebolt from his room and took flight as well, leaving Ron bewildered. Harry soared on his beloved broomstick to where Ginny was waiting. He felt home in the air, though he noticed that Ginny wasn't as much at ease as he was. She was wobbling a little bit, looking as if she would slide off her broom at any moment.
"You okay there, Gin?" he called to her as she tried to steady herself. She blushed and nodded, trying to give a little smile.
"Course she's alright! She's a Weasley!" Ron exclaimed as he met up with Harry and Ginny in the skies.
"Well, then," Harry said, running his fingers through his hair again. Ginny sighed as she watched him and nearly fell off her broom. Ron caught her in the nick of time, and Harry covered his mouth, stifling a laugh. "Let's start with drills. Ron, you'll practice as Keeper, and Ginny, pretend to be a Chaser and try to score on him." Harry flew back towards the ground, retrieved the Quaffle, and threw it in the air.
He watched as Ron and Ginny practiced a couple of times, then zoomed back up on his remarkably fast racing broom to give each of them a few tips. His two friends improved a good deal, and Harry watched with satisfaction, like a teacher watching his students. As he watched them in midair, something pelted him in the head. He rubbed his aching head, and looked in the direction that the object had flown in from. On the ground, he saw Hermione and Cassie, jumping up and down, trying to get his attention. Harry descended to the ground in front of the girls.
"Harry! Harry!" Cassie said breathlessly, putting her hands on her knees. "News. Big news." And with that, the girl sat down right there on the field, still breathing heavily.
"We ran all the way here," Hermione explained. "From Dumbledore's office."
"What were you doing there?" asked Harry.
"Well, remember the hair incident in Snape's class? Me and Cassie have been trying all week to get to the headmaster, but he's been so busy. But, he had some free time today to talk to us! We told him about Snape, and how mean he was, picking on Cassie, but then...."
"He said Snape wasn't in class that day!" Cassie screamed from her sitting position. "Snape was with Dumbledore the whole time, having a conference of all things!"
"Yes," Hermione picked up. "It seems that Snape and Dumbledore had sent Filch to watch over us. It was just supposed to be a study hall period."
"Then, who was teaching us?!" Harry yelled in surprise. "I'm sure it wasn't Filch! Remember? He's a Squib! Nonmagic!"
"Exactly. It wasn't him," Hermione tried to explain. "It wasn't Filch who was sent to watch us either. It was someone disguised as him...."
"Polyjuice potion, then!"
"I think it was, because..."
Cassie interrupted again, finally getting up. "Because when we went to go find Filch with Dumbledore, he was gone! The only thing left was his little kitty......" Cassie grinned, then put her fingers to her lips. The little girl let out an unnaturally loud whistle. "Here, kitty! Here kitty, kitty!" Something in a little pink bonnet came out.
Ron came in for a landing, followed closely by Ginny. "Harry, what's up? And, oh my lord.....is that?" The bonnet came closer, and Ron had recognized it right away. "Don't tell me that's...Mrs. Norris?!" Indeed it was. Mrs. Norris trotted right over to Cassie and jumped into her arms, purring. Ginny, curious as she was, joined Cassie and pettied the content cat.
Ron and Harry turned their glance from Cassie to Hermione. Hermione just shook her head. "Filch just went missing, and that was the only thing he left behind. Dumbledore said it was very curious, but said not to worry. He would find a new janitor soon enough."
"In the meanwhile, the kitty's mine!" Cassie squealed with glee.
"Ugh, what have you got it in?" Ron asked in disgust.
"I couldn't help it! I just had to give little Fluffykins something to keep her warm!" Cassie exclaimed, drawing the cat closer to her.
"And a bonnet helps how?" replied Ron.
"Don't know, Hermione gave it to me," Cassie said, babying Mrs. Norris.
"Well, at least she left HER little devil at home," said Ron. Hermione narrowed her eyes dangerously in her usual manner.
"Well, it wasn't my fault that Crookshanks could sense trouble! It was your rat that caused that whole mess!"
"He wouldn't have if your stupid furrball would have kept away from him!"
"Oh yes, he would, Ronald Weasley, and you don't want to admit it!"
"Stop it already!" Harry intervened. They both had their hands in fists, ready to fight. Harry had stepped in between them. "Can't we all just get along?" Ron and Hermione turned their backs to each other.
"Uh, Harry?" Cassie said. "What about the evil guy that is roaming the school grounds? What if he tries to get to someone else?" The full realization finally hit Harry. Some dangerous person was wandering around Hogwarts. And this powerful wizard could be tracking him down at this very moment..........
A girl with her black hair all in curls wearing a sparkling pink dress stands up and starts hyperventilating. She runs up to the stage, grabs the award from the awaiting presenter and wobbles up to the podium. "Thank you so much!" she says to a barrage of applause.
"First of all, I would like to thank God above all things, my parents, my friends, and the reviewers!! They make all the difference! To Angel-4 ever: You like me! You really like me! To Alejandra: Thanks, girl!! By the way, I did write another chapter...I wrote like 8 more chapters! To Jereni: I love yooooooouuuuuuu!!! Thanks for reviewing! And, I know that Snape is out of character a bit, but you'll just have to keep reading to find out why! To Quicksilver Fallen: I am so glad you liked my fic! Your review really boosted up my confidence! And to Alicia: I know that my first chapter has a lot of Japanese anime stuff in it, but if you would have just taken the time to read the rest of my fic, you would have found out that there is a lot more to my fic! Besides, the anime will be worked in later....(Damn!! I just revealed a secret!! Note to self...no more slip-ups) To Meli: Thank you, I am a literary goddess! Thank you to all my readers! Please, keep reading and reviewing! It is much appreciated!"
The small girl, tears streaking her cheeks, makes her way down the stage to the stairs. On the very first step down, she trips and tumbles over, rolling all the way down the steps, landing in a little, pretty pile on the floor as everyone gasps........
*Okay, a bit random......but when I get an idea, I just have to roll with it!! One more note to go..........If you would please R&R every chapter, so that I can know if all my chapters are alright, then that would be great!! Reviewing every chapter also helps me to know that you are still reading my stuff....and boosts my self esteem!! Who doesn't need a boost in self esteem now?* ~bunnie
************************************************************************
Chapter 9
The end of the very first, taxing week of school finally ended, but no without a load of homework assigned for the weekend. Cassie and Hermione earned some free time of their own to go take a tour of the castle by completing all their assignments way ahead of time, leaving Ron and Harry to finish theirs by themselves. They were back to predicting what would happen to them in the future month.
"Hmmm, I'll meet with an old friend on this day," Ron said, sucking on the end of his quill. "And, I'll take a fall on this other day here..."
"I think I'll have a close brush with death here," Harry said, scribbling it in his calendar. "And, maybe I'll lose something important on this day......maybe not," he said, scratching out something else. "Quidditch match is scheduled for that day...."
"Hey Harry, what about Quidditch? Any positions open?" Ron said, his curiosity peaked. Harry cleared his desk of all the papers and took out the roster that Professor McGonagall, also the head of Gryffindor House, had given him. Hs scanned the list.
"Well, Fred and George are graduating this year, along with Alicia Spinnet, Katie Bell, and Angelina Johnson, the three Chasers. I'm the seeker....which means that there's one position open! Ron, you can try out!" Harry said excitedly. Ron eyes lit up.
"Do you really think so?" he said, his mouth gaping.
"Well, yeah! Let's see.....we can have tryouts for our Keeper in two weeks, so that our new player can have a chance to practice before our first match in November," Harry said, making a note in his roster. Ron nodded and grabbed his things. "Where are you going?" Harry asked, getting up as well.
"I'm going to go practice, of course! Do you think Fred and George will mind if I use one of their broomsticks?" Ron said as he got out of the room through the portrait hole.
"I don't think so, but it's worth a try!" Harry yelled, following his best friend out. They ran down to the Great Hall, knowing that it was dinnertime, and that the twins never missed dinner. The two boys slowed down and stopped for a couple of minutes to take a breather.
"You think they're there?" Harry said in between gasps for breath.
"Oh, without a doubt," Ron replied, pushing the doors to the Great Hall open. Harry and Ron walked straight to one end of the Gryffindor table and looked down. There were three distinct red balls, one by itself by the middle and the other two together at the end of the table. Ron pointed to the two red-heads at the end. "That's them!" Harry gave a nod as Ron led him towards to where the twins undoubtedly were. But, something was strange about them, they way they were acting.
"Fred? George?" said Ron meekly, shaking the twins. George, who seemed to be leaning on Fred, fell of the bench. Harry looked down at the seventh year in surprise. George was snoring, and very loudly too. Harry peeked around to see how Fred would react, but he didn't react. Fred just slumped over, his face crashing into the food on his plate. Harry gave him a few pokes in the arm.
"You think they're out good?" Harry asked nervously. He continued to prod Fred. Ron knelt down to where George had fallen. His brother was now sleeping very comfortably in a fetal position, sucking his thumb.
"They must be exhausted," Ron said. "I mean, since they opened they're new stores, it's been a lot of work for them. And I heard them saying that they got at least several hundred orders this first week alone!" "Wonder what that's doing to their grades," Harry thought aloud.
"Does it really matter now Harry?" Ron said a bit sarcastically. "I mean, let's just take the brooms. They won't mind as long as I don't ruin them." Harry rolled his eyes and ran his fingers through his messy black hair. He gave his best friend a nod, and they were off to the lockers adjacent to the Quidditch pitch.
"You know, you should be a better role model for your sister," Harry said hesitantly as he watched Ron pull out George's broom.
"Yeah, Ron," said a voice full of contempt from behind the two of them. Startled, they looked around to see that the third red-head at the table, Ginny, had followed them all the way there.
"Okay, Ginny, you take Fred's broom then," Harry said, throwing her the wooden pole with twigs attached to the end. Ron looked at Harry as if he were a lunatic.
"Harry, you can't! You, you.....you just can't! I mean, it's stealing!" Ron stuttered.
"And why is it stealing? I mean, you did it too!" Ginny said in a tone of voice that she had never used before. Clearly, she was fed up with being pushed around. "You set a very good example for me, big brother!"
"Oh, she's got you there," Harry said, stepping aside. He didn't want to get in the middle of sibling rivalry.
"Well, let's get on to the field then!" Ginny said smartly, pushing her tall brother aside. Ron watched her stomp off to the middle of the field, eyes wide open.
"Can you believe her?" he said, not tearing his eyes as his sister took off into the air.
"Well, yes. She does take a little bit after you, now, doesn't she?" And with that, Harry summoned his own Firebolt from his room and took flight as well, leaving Ron bewildered. Harry soared on his beloved broomstick to where Ginny was waiting. He felt home in the air, though he noticed that Ginny wasn't as much at ease as he was. She was wobbling a little bit, looking as if she would slide off her broom at any moment.
"You okay there, Gin?" he called to her as she tried to steady herself. She blushed and nodded, trying to give a little smile.
"Course she's alright! She's a Weasley!" Ron exclaimed as he met up with Harry and Ginny in the skies.
"Well, then," Harry said, running his fingers through his hair again. Ginny sighed as she watched him and nearly fell off her broom. Ron caught her in the nick of time, and Harry covered his mouth, stifling a laugh. "Let's start with drills. Ron, you'll practice as Keeper, and Ginny, pretend to be a Chaser and try to score on him." Harry flew back towards the ground, retrieved the Quaffle, and threw it in the air.
He watched as Ron and Ginny practiced a couple of times, then zoomed back up on his remarkably fast racing broom to give each of them a few tips. His two friends improved a good deal, and Harry watched with satisfaction, like a teacher watching his students. As he watched them in midair, something pelted him in the head. He rubbed his aching head, and looked in the direction that the object had flown in from. On the ground, he saw Hermione and Cassie, jumping up and down, trying to get his attention. Harry descended to the ground in front of the girls.
"Harry! Harry!" Cassie said breathlessly, putting her hands on her knees. "News. Big news." And with that, the girl sat down right there on the field, still breathing heavily.
"We ran all the way here," Hermione explained. "From Dumbledore's office."
"What were you doing there?" asked Harry.
"Well, remember the hair incident in Snape's class? Me and Cassie have been trying all week to get to the headmaster, but he's been so busy. But, he had some free time today to talk to us! We told him about Snape, and how mean he was, picking on Cassie, but then...."
"He said Snape wasn't in class that day!" Cassie screamed from her sitting position. "Snape was with Dumbledore the whole time, having a conference of all things!"
"Yes," Hermione picked up. "It seems that Snape and Dumbledore had sent Filch to watch over us. It was just supposed to be a study hall period."
"Then, who was teaching us?!" Harry yelled in surprise. "I'm sure it wasn't Filch! Remember? He's a Squib! Nonmagic!"
"Exactly. It wasn't him," Hermione tried to explain. "It wasn't Filch who was sent to watch us either. It was someone disguised as him...."
"Polyjuice potion, then!"
"I think it was, because..."
Cassie interrupted again, finally getting up. "Because when we went to go find Filch with Dumbledore, he was gone! The only thing left was his little kitty......" Cassie grinned, then put her fingers to her lips. The little girl let out an unnaturally loud whistle. "Here, kitty! Here kitty, kitty!" Something in a little pink bonnet came out.
Ron came in for a landing, followed closely by Ginny. "Harry, what's up? And, oh my lord.....is that?" The bonnet came closer, and Ron had recognized it right away. "Don't tell me that's...Mrs. Norris?!" Indeed it was. Mrs. Norris trotted right over to Cassie and jumped into her arms, purring. Ginny, curious as she was, joined Cassie and pettied the content cat.
Ron and Harry turned their glance from Cassie to Hermione. Hermione just shook her head. "Filch just went missing, and that was the only thing he left behind. Dumbledore said it was very curious, but said not to worry. He would find a new janitor soon enough."
"In the meanwhile, the kitty's mine!" Cassie squealed with glee.
"Ugh, what have you got it in?" Ron asked in disgust.
"I couldn't help it! I just had to give little Fluffykins something to keep her warm!" Cassie exclaimed, drawing the cat closer to her.
"And a bonnet helps how?" replied Ron.
"Don't know, Hermione gave it to me," Cassie said, babying Mrs. Norris.
"Well, at least she left HER little devil at home," said Ron. Hermione narrowed her eyes dangerously in her usual manner.
"Well, it wasn't my fault that Crookshanks could sense trouble! It was your rat that caused that whole mess!"
"He wouldn't have if your stupid furrball would have kept away from him!"
"Oh yes, he would, Ronald Weasley, and you don't want to admit it!"
"Stop it already!" Harry intervened. They both had their hands in fists, ready to fight. Harry had stepped in between them. "Can't we all just get along?" Ron and Hermione turned their backs to each other.
"Uh, Harry?" Cassie said. "What about the evil guy that is roaming the school grounds? What if he tries to get to someone else?" The full realization finally hit Harry. Some dangerous person was wandering around Hogwarts. And this powerful wizard could be tracking him down at this very moment..........