(Author's Notes: Thank you for the reviews for the prologue! I hope you all
enjoy this chapter, which is the beginning to an exciting and humorous epic
(at least it is to me). Actually, what I'm doing is because the chapters
are huge, I'm put them up as parts of each chapter.
This part of the first chapter was written while I was listening to Garth Brooks (specifically 'The Red Strokes') and Sarah McLachlan, so expect that parts of the story are going to have the lovebirds kissing and maybe more, not to mention darkness. I don't know the eye coloring of the Weasley brood, so I'm making them up to suit my fancy.
I believe I forgot to write in the disclaimers for the prologue, but c'mon folks. I'm not the grand JK Rowling, and never will be. All of these characters belong to her. Not me.
Well, all I can ask is that you both read and review, and hope that you enjoy the first chapter of "Days of Life, Love, and Living at Hogwarts.")
Chapter One
"Bill?" Ron gasped, staring in shock from his position on the floor. "Bill?"
"Well, at least he isn't a vampire!" Ginny commented cheerfully, a mischievous grin on her freckled face. Noticing Harry's jaw, which was nearly to the floor, and Ron's incredulous gawking, Hermione raised an eyebrow and commented for the group. Well, perhaps just for herself.
"Did you know about this, Ginny?" The redheaded Weasley girl flashed her an impish smile and didn't respond to the question. Rolling her eyes as a beaming Bill sat down, Hermione twisted in her seat and rapped Harry's jaw sharply. Ignoring his yelp and injured glare as he clamped his mouth shut, she leaned to the opposite side of her chair and yanked Ron up into his seat by the back of his robes.
"We can talk to your brother later, Ron," Hermione reminded the still staring teenager as Harry ruefully rubbed his jaw.
"You're stronger than you look," the last Potter remarked in a remorseful tone. Hermione smiled proudly while Ginny giggled.
"Ron!" All four turned towards the speaker, who was grinning from ear to ear. "Isn't that your brother?"
"Of course not, Seamus, that's another Weasley, who is in no way related to Ron or Ginny," the tall, dark-skinned boy beside the beaming idiot stated sarcastically. Seamus blinked, looking surprised.
"Oh. I thought he was related-ow!" Seamus held his head, much in the same manner that Harry had rubbed his jaw, frowning upwards in confusion at his best friend. "What'd you do that for, Dean?"
"You were-forget it," Dean sighed, shaking his head. "Professor Weasley is probably one of Ron's older brothers." The tall boy looked up towards the Weasley-in-question. "Right?"
Still looking stunned, Ron merely nodded.
"He's our oldest brother, Bill," sighed Ginny. This time, both Dean and Seamus stared.
"The first Head Boy brother?" Dean finally said, his dark eyes round. Both Ron and Ginny bobbed their heads.
"I didn't know your brother was so hot-ow!" Seamus mock-glared at his best friend. "Well, he is!" Everyone within hearing distance groaned. It was well known of Seamus' catering to both slices of the cake.
"You are not hitting on Bill, Seamus," Ginny stated firmly, although she couldn't hide her amusement and her chocolate brown eyes twinkled merrily. Seamus pouted and crossed his arms.
"I never get to hit on the hot guys," he grumbled, following the statement with another yelp as Dean smacked him again.
Deciding to ignore the Irish boy's antics, Ginny looked down towards the table. Rewarded by the sight of delicious-looking food, she smiled and tucked in with vigor.
"So, where were you three?" she asked when she had eaten for a little while. Ron, who had finally stopped staring, shrugged noncommittally and mumbled something under his breath. Ginny wrinkled her nose, raising an eyebrow skyward.
"Really," she murmured, her words dripping with sarcasm. "So nice of you to be so descriptive, Ronnie-kins." Her cynicism took her fellow Gryffindors by surprise, and no one replied. Well, except for one.
"I think they were called away by Professor McGonagall," informed a quiet, hesitant voice. Ginny turned to grin at the replier.
"Thanks, Neville." The round-faced teenager smiled bashfully back, light blue eyes lighting up at her gratification.
"No problem," he mumbled, looking down at his plate and pretending to study it.
Harry leaned back in his chair, watching his fellow Gryffindors as he did so. Neville was staring at his dish. Ginny was looking bored as she flicked a lock of dark copper away from her facade. Ron was stuffing his face, apparently over the shock of Bill being the DADA professor. Hermione was busy talking to a seventh year prefect about Advanced Transfiguration, fingering her prefect badge as she did so. Seamus was telling a joke and Dean was laughing in enjoyment.
No one needed him to talk, and for that Harry was glad. The famous Boy-Who- Lived was happy to have the attention off him for a moment and to rest in the shadows. And rest he needed. Harry hadn't been sleeping well for nearly two years, ever since the Triwizard Tournament. How could he, when Diggory haunted his dreams? Even Ron and Hermione had noticed his fatigued appearance and commented on it. After ignoring their worried looks during the entire train ride, Harry was relieved that they had seemingly forgotten about the circles under his eyes.
As if to mock his very thoughts, a pale hand came to rest on his shoulder. Inwardly Harry groaned in annoyance, but on the outside he kept his expression blank as he turned in his seat to gaze emotionlessly at the intruder. Draco Malfoy smirked back, raising a regal eyebrow.
"Tired, Potter?" he drawled in his familiar tone.
"Get off me, Malfoy," Harry growled dangerously, still keeping his face unreadable. Why, of all people, did Malfoy have to notice him looking exhausted?
"Aw, did someone not get their beauty sleep?" Malfoy replied mockingly, slate gray eyes never leaving his. By now, the rest of the table had noticed the Slytherin intruder.
"Get lost, Malfoy." Ron's voice was sharp and filled with loathing, but Malfoy didn't bat an eye, only smiled lazily and ignored him.
"Better get some sleep, Potter. We wouldn't want you falling asleep in class now, would we? We wouldn't want you to lose any points for Gryffindor." His hand was still on Harry's shoulder, and Harry was horrified to note that he was thinking about how lightly those alabaster fingers rested on his black robe. He really did need sleep!
"Go get some sun, Malfoy, and maybe you'll actually stop /looking/ like a vampire and instead just act like one."
"Ah, I see you've been practicing your insults over the summer." Malfoy smirked once more, drawing his hand away and giving the glowering group his famous sneer before sauntering back towards the Slytherin table. Harry found him watching Malfoy go, wondering at the other boy's way of thinking, and shook his head wildly, a single, violent shake before he turned back to his friends with a contrite smile.
"Well, onto happier-" he began.
"-But not hotter!" Seamus interjected, fairly drooling and barely noticing this time when Dean whacked him over the head. Harry shook his head, this time grinning as he continued.
"Well, onto happier things. How was everyone's summer?"
"Well, you already know my, Ron, and Ginny's summer," Hermione commented with a smile, for they had discussed it during the train ride, "so let's see how everyone else's was." She looked over at Neville, Dean, and Seamus, raising her eyebrow in her normal authoritative gesture.
"Me and Dean went to America and went to a place called Fort Lauderdale. Man, there are some hot Americans!" Seamus commented cheerily.
"Seamus, you /must/ be the test subject they used to help prove that men think about sex every six seconds," Dean stated, rolling his eyes and smiling. Seamus beamed at his best friend.
"That's where you're wrong, my friend. They threw me out as a test subject because I thought about sex every /two/ seconds." He paused, and then fake-grumbled, "Not my fault the guy questioning me was /fine/."
"Git," declared Ron jokingly, and Seamus tossed a buttered roll at him.
"Neville?" Ginny questioned in a soft voice, and everyone turned to look at Neville, who was studying his plate intently, his eyes hidden by long, golden lashes.
"Nothing much happened, just life." His reply was equally soft, and Harry felt a guilty pang go through him. Even though everyone felt sorry for him because his parents were dead, Neville fared worse. He went to see his parents (both driven insane by dark wizards) every holiday, and they never, ever recognized him. Not that any of Neville's classmates save Harry knew that, but still..
"Well," Harry said briskly, deciding it was a good time to change the subject, "who bets Bill gets mad and throws Malfoy out of class on the first day?"
"We can always hope!" Ron joked, and the group laughed.
.
"Harry?" The voice was quiet, so quiet that Harry almost didn't catch it as they slowly filed out and headed towards their dorms. He turned and smiled drowsily at Neville.
"Yes?" Hermione and Ron cast curious looks back at them before disappearing into the crowd of disappearing people.
"Are you okay? Really?" Neville's voice was soft and filled with concern as his pale cornflower blue eyes gazed steadily into Harry's green ones.
Harry managed a reassuring smile for his friend, for he considered Neville a friend. "I'm fine, just tired."
"Nightmares?"
Harry started for a moment before relaxing, realizing that Neville would know what someone who had nightmares would look like. His smile turned rueful. "Yes."
"I'm sorry," Neville offered gently, his own smile compassionate.
"Thanks. Now, how about we both get some sleep?" Harry suggested, resisting the urge to rub his itching eyes.
"Sounds like a good idea to me." The third and second last ones to leave, for even the professors had vanished, the two sixth-years exited the Great Hall, both oblivious to anyone watching them.
"You didn't tell me he was having nightmares!" Bill's voice was loud and accusing as it echoed through the empty room. His eyes flashed, and the accent was back when he spoke once more, tone gentle and soothing.
"Ach, 'e 'as nightmares about Diggory. Once the plan is finished, 'e will not 'ave nightmares anymore. 'e 'as troubles in 'is seele, but they will be 'ealed."
Then Bill was back to normal, looking weary as he rubbed a hand over his half-closed eyes. "If you say so. Come on, it's time for bed. School starts tomorrow."
"Yes, good-night then."
(To be continued)
This part of the first chapter was written while I was listening to Garth Brooks (specifically 'The Red Strokes') and Sarah McLachlan, so expect that parts of the story are going to have the lovebirds kissing and maybe more, not to mention darkness. I don't know the eye coloring of the Weasley brood, so I'm making them up to suit my fancy.
I believe I forgot to write in the disclaimers for the prologue, but c'mon folks. I'm not the grand JK Rowling, and never will be. All of these characters belong to her. Not me.
Well, all I can ask is that you both read and review, and hope that you enjoy the first chapter of "Days of Life, Love, and Living at Hogwarts.")
Chapter One
"Bill?" Ron gasped, staring in shock from his position on the floor. "Bill?"
"Well, at least he isn't a vampire!" Ginny commented cheerfully, a mischievous grin on her freckled face. Noticing Harry's jaw, which was nearly to the floor, and Ron's incredulous gawking, Hermione raised an eyebrow and commented for the group. Well, perhaps just for herself.
"Did you know about this, Ginny?" The redheaded Weasley girl flashed her an impish smile and didn't respond to the question. Rolling her eyes as a beaming Bill sat down, Hermione twisted in her seat and rapped Harry's jaw sharply. Ignoring his yelp and injured glare as he clamped his mouth shut, she leaned to the opposite side of her chair and yanked Ron up into his seat by the back of his robes.
"We can talk to your brother later, Ron," Hermione reminded the still staring teenager as Harry ruefully rubbed his jaw.
"You're stronger than you look," the last Potter remarked in a remorseful tone. Hermione smiled proudly while Ginny giggled.
"Ron!" All four turned towards the speaker, who was grinning from ear to ear. "Isn't that your brother?"
"Of course not, Seamus, that's another Weasley, who is in no way related to Ron or Ginny," the tall, dark-skinned boy beside the beaming idiot stated sarcastically. Seamus blinked, looking surprised.
"Oh. I thought he was related-ow!" Seamus held his head, much in the same manner that Harry had rubbed his jaw, frowning upwards in confusion at his best friend. "What'd you do that for, Dean?"
"You were-forget it," Dean sighed, shaking his head. "Professor Weasley is probably one of Ron's older brothers." The tall boy looked up towards the Weasley-in-question. "Right?"
Still looking stunned, Ron merely nodded.
"He's our oldest brother, Bill," sighed Ginny. This time, both Dean and Seamus stared.
"The first Head Boy brother?" Dean finally said, his dark eyes round. Both Ron and Ginny bobbed their heads.
"I didn't know your brother was so hot-ow!" Seamus mock-glared at his best friend. "Well, he is!" Everyone within hearing distance groaned. It was well known of Seamus' catering to both slices of the cake.
"You are not hitting on Bill, Seamus," Ginny stated firmly, although she couldn't hide her amusement and her chocolate brown eyes twinkled merrily. Seamus pouted and crossed his arms.
"I never get to hit on the hot guys," he grumbled, following the statement with another yelp as Dean smacked him again.
Deciding to ignore the Irish boy's antics, Ginny looked down towards the table. Rewarded by the sight of delicious-looking food, she smiled and tucked in with vigor.
"So, where were you three?" she asked when she had eaten for a little while. Ron, who had finally stopped staring, shrugged noncommittally and mumbled something under his breath. Ginny wrinkled her nose, raising an eyebrow skyward.
"Really," she murmured, her words dripping with sarcasm. "So nice of you to be so descriptive, Ronnie-kins." Her cynicism took her fellow Gryffindors by surprise, and no one replied. Well, except for one.
"I think they were called away by Professor McGonagall," informed a quiet, hesitant voice. Ginny turned to grin at the replier.
"Thanks, Neville." The round-faced teenager smiled bashfully back, light blue eyes lighting up at her gratification.
"No problem," he mumbled, looking down at his plate and pretending to study it.
Harry leaned back in his chair, watching his fellow Gryffindors as he did so. Neville was staring at his dish. Ginny was looking bored as she flicked a lock of dark copper away from her facade. Ron was stuffing his face, apparently over the shock of Bill being the DADA professor. Hermione was busy talking to a seventh year prefect about Advanced Transfiguration, fingering her prefect badge as she did so. Seamus was telling a joke and Dean was laughing in enjoyment.
No one needed him to talk, and for that Harry was glad. The famous Boy-Who- Lived was happy to have the attention off him for a moment and to rest in the shadows. And rest he needed. Harry hadn't been sleeping well for nearly two years, ever since the Triwizard Tournament. How could he, when Diggory haunted his dreams? Even Ron and Hermione had noticed his fatigued appearance and commented on it. After ignoring their worried looks during the entire train ride, Harry was relieved that they had seemingly forgotten about the circles under his eyes.
As if to mock his very thoughts, a pale hand came to rest on his shoulder. Inwardly Harry groaned in annoyance, but on the outside he kept his expression blank as he turned in his seat to gaze emotionlessly at the intruder. Draco Malfoy smirked back, raising a regal eyebrow.
"Tired, Potter?" he drawled in his familiar tone.
"Get off me, Malfoy," Harry growled dangerously, still keeping his face unreadable. Why, of all people, did Malfoy have to notice him looking exhausted?
"Aw, did someone not get their beauty sleep?" Malfoy replied mockingly, slate gray eyes never leaving his. By now, the rest of the table had noticed the Slytherin intruder.
"Get lost, Malfoy." Ron's voice was sharp and filled with loathing, but Malfoy didn't bat an eye, only smiled lazily and ignored him.
"Better get some sleep, Potter. We wouldn't want you falling asleep in class now, would we? We wouldn't want you to lose any points for Gryffindor." His hand was still on Harry's shoulder, and Harry was horrified to note that he was thinking about how lightly those alabaster fingers rested on his black robe. He really did need sleep!
"Go get some sun, Malfoy, and maybe you'll actually stop /looking/ like a vampire and instead just act like one."
"Ah, I see you've been practicing your insults over the summer." Malfoy smirked once more, drawing his hand away and giving the glowering group his famous sneer before sauntering back towards the Slytherin table. Harry found him watching Malfoy go, wondering at the other boy's way of thinking, and shook his head wildly, a single, violent shake before he turned back to his friends with a contrite smile.
"Well, onto happier-" he began.
"-But not hotter!" Seamus interjected, fairly drooling and barely noticing this time when Dean whacked him over the head. Harry shook his head, this time grinning as he continued.
"Well, onto happier things. How was everyone's summer?"
"Well, you already know my, Ron, and Ginny's summer," Hermione commented with a smile, for they had discussed it during the train ride, "so let's see how everyone else's was." She looked over at Neville, Dean, and Seamus, raising her eyebrow in her normal authoritative gesture.
"Me and Dean went to America and went to a place called Fort Lauderdale. Man, there are some hot Americans!" Seamus commented cheerily.
"Seamus, you /must/ be the test subject they used to help prove that men think about sex every six seconds," Dean stated, rolling his eyes and smiling. Seamus beamed at his best friend.
"That's where you're wrong, my friend. They threw me out as a test subject because I thought about sex every /two/ seconds." He paused, and then fake-grumbled, "Not my fault the guy questioning me was /fine/."
"Git," declared Ron jokingly, and Seamus tossed a buttered roll at him.
"Neville?" Ginny questioned in a soft voice, and everyone turned to look at Neville, who was studying his plate intently, his eyes hidden by long, golden lashes.
"Nothing much happened, just life." His reply was equally soft, and Harry felt a guilty pang go through him. Even though everyone felt sorry for him because his parents were dead, Neville fared worse. He went to see his parents (both driven insane by dark wizards) every holiday, and they never, ever recognized him. Not that any of Neville's classmates save Harry knew that, but still..
"Well," Harry said briskly, deciding it was a good time to change the subject, "who bets Bill gets mad and throws Malfoy out of class on the first day?"
"We can always hope!" Ron joked, and the group laughed.
.
"Harry?" The voice was quiet, so quiet that Harry almost didn't catch it as they slowly filed out and headed towards their dorms. He turned and smiled drowsily at Neville.
"Yes?" Hermione and Ron cast curious looks back at them before disappearing into the crowd of disappearing people.
"Are you okay? Really?" Neville's voice was soft and filled with concern as his pale cornflower blue eyes gazed steadily into Harry's green ones.
Harry managed a reassuring smile for his friend, for he considered Neville a friend. "I'm fine, just tired."
"Nightmares?"
Harry started for a moment before relaxing, realizing that Neville would know what someone who had nightmares would look like. His smile turned rueful. "Yes."
"I'm sorry," Neville offered gently, his own smile compassionate.
"Thanks. Now, how about we both get some sleep?" Harry suggested, resisting the urge to rub his itching eyes.
"Sounds like a good idea to me." The third and second last ones to leave, for even the professors had vanished, the two sixth-years exited the Great Hall, both oblivious to anyone watching them.
"You didn't tell me he was having nightmares!" Bill's voice was loud and accusing as it echoed through the empty room. His eyes flashed, and the accent was back when he spoke once more, tone gentle and soothing.
"Ach, 'e 'as nightmares about Diggory. Once the plan is finished, 'e will not 'ave nightmares anymore. 'e 'as troubles in 'is seele, but they will be 'ealed."
Then Bill was back to normal, looking weary as he rubbed a hand over his half-closed eyes. "If you say so. Come on, it's time for bed. School starts tomorrow."
"Yes, good-night then."
(To be continued)