Yup, here's chapter two, which will mostly take place in Hogwarts, so
as not to deprive anyone from Harry, Ron, and Hermione (and of course, the
twins!) So, here goes!
Disclaimer: Only the plot is mine... * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Hermione!" Harry waved his and Ron's friend over to the spots they had saved in the Great Hall for breakfast that morning. "What do we have first today?"
"Double Herbology," replied Hermione instantly. "I think we're doing something with Tentaculas today."
"You mean that venomous thing that always tries to eat me?" asked Ron through a mouthful of waffle.
"I don't think we're working with the full grown ones yet. Probably just the seedlings and those don't have enough poison to kill you - just take a chunk out of you if they bite you hard enough." Ron and Harry looked at each other. As usual, Hermione was several lessons ahead of everyone else - by a few years, most likely. All three turned their full attention to their meals, when they heard a fluttering of wings above.
"Ah, mail's here," said Ron. He noticed that Charlie's horned owl, Thor, was among the crowd. "Look, I've got a letter from Charlie." He looked at his two comrades. "That's strange; the last time he wrote me was back in first year, remember, when we had to get rid of Norbert?" The other two nodded. "I wonder what he wants," Ron wondered out loud.
"Open it; let's see," said Harry. Ron rolled out the parchment and read it out loud so that all three could hear.
"'Dear Ron, I hope you're well. How are your classes going? Still taking Care of Magical Creatures? Anyways, I have sort of a technical question for Harry and Hermione -' figures," muttered Ron. "The only time I get a letter from my older brother is to ask you two a question."
"Keep going," urged Hermione. "Find out what he wants to know."
"'I was wondering if either one of them could write me back and give me detailed instructions on how to use a telephone. Send your reply only if you have the instructions, and please hurry! Love, Charlie,'" Ron finished.
"Why does he want to know how to use a telephone?" wondered Harry.
"I dunno. Seems kind of weird, doesn't it? Why doesn't he just talk through the fires; he's a fully licensed wizard. Maybe he's developing a weird interest in Muggles, like Dad. bloody hell, I hope not. One of them in the family's enough," mused Ron. All of the sudden, the letter was snatched out of Ron's hands.
"What's this?" asked Fred. George looked over his twin's shoulder.
"Our dear older brother wrote you but not us? I think I'm hurt!" claimed George.
"What does he need to know how to use a phone for?" asked Fred.
"We were just trying to figure that out when you took my letter from me!" said Ron, reaching up to reclaim it.
"Keep your shirt on. we're not done with it yet," claimed Fred.
"What more do you need to read?" asked Ron bitterly. "You've read the whole bloody thing."
"Watch your language, Ronnie," cried George. "What would Mum think of your tongue?"
"Bugger off," he muttered. He motioned to Harry and Hermione and grabbed their bags. "On three, k, Harry?" he muttered on the side of his mouth, as they walked away. Harry nodded. The twins shrugged and began poring over the letter. "One..two..three," Ron said under his breath. Harry suddenly turned around and shouted, "Accio letter!" The letter went flying out of Fred's hands, and the twins let out cries of frustration and anger. Since the Triwizard Tournament, Harry had become the local expert on summoning charms, and the three friends often used it to their advantage.
Grinning happily, Ron, Harry, and Hermione left the Great Hall, Charlie's letter in hand. They headed toward the greenhouses for Herbology, talking quietly about the different reasons Charlie might ask such an obscure question. Indeed, in Herbology, they found themselves dealing with young Tentaculas, as Hermione had predicted. Ron had been sent to hospital wing after class, as it seemed that the seedlings found him as appetizing as the full grown Tentacula had.
"Bloody plant," muttered Ron, his hand lightly bandaged up.
"Yeah, after taking that chunk of your hand out, it was pretty bloody," quipped Harry, grinning until Ron sent him a murderous glance.
"We don't have class until after lunch so why don't we go to the common room and write Charlie back?" suggested Hermione.
"Sure," replied Harry. Ron didn't respond, cradling his injured hand instead. The three headed up to the Gryffindor common room, quickly grabbing the last table as soon as the Fat Lady's portrait opened up. Hermione pulled a spare piece of parchment and quill out of her bag. With her quill poised over the paper, she looked expectantly at the other two.
"Well?" she asked. "What should we write?" Ron shrugged.
"I don't even know how to use a phone; this is yours and Harry's thing." Hermione turned to Harry.
"I dunno, Hermione. The Dursleys never let me use a phone. I mean, I know how, but it's not like I can describe it. This is totally your field," he responded to her. She let out a sigh of frustration.
"Honestly! Both of you!" Both boys looked at her, slightly alarmed. "Ron, Charlie is your brother, so you could at least add something in there. And Harry, just say something encouraging like, 'you'll get the hang of it' or whatever! Charlie asked for our help, and we're going to give it to him!"
"Hermione. honestly, it's probably not that urgent. Charlie is most likely just turning into Dad or something," said Ron. "Why is this letter such a big deal to you, anyways?"
"Yeah, are you sweet on him or something?" chimed Harry. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"If I deny it, you'll accuse me of lying, and if I said 'yes' you'd only make fun of me. But while we're on the subject, no, I don't," replied Hermione icily. "I just think it'd be nice to help out Charlie, especially since he's helped us out plenty of times. Remember Norbert? We owe it to him." She looked each boy in the eye. They both finally grumbled their consent and saw her point. They huddled together and Hermione began to write in her tiny, neat script.
"'Dear Charlie,'" she said out loud as she wrote, "'Harry and I would be delighted to let you in on the secrets of using a phone. First, you have to pick it up. The end with the cord goes near your mouth, and the other end goes to your ear. Locate the numbers, and then punch them in the order that the number you're calling is. You'll hear rings, and then someone will pick up on the other end. Then just talk like normal. If nobody picks up, you'll probably get an answering machine, so just talk to it, and it'll record your voice and the person will most likely call you back. Good luck! Hermione.'" She handed the parchment to Ron.
"'Charlie, why in the world do you need to know how to use a bloody phone? Well, I don't know how to either, so Hermione's instructions will probably work. And yes, Harry, Hermione and I are still in Care of Magical Creatures. Write back soon. Love, Ron.'" Ron handed it to Harry. Harry bit his lip and placed quill to parchment, quickly writing down the first thing that came to mind.
"'Er. good luck, mate. Phones are tricky business. Harry.'" Hermione looked at him.
"That's it?"
"Yeah, I think you covered it pretty well, Hermione." She sighed and rolled up the parchment, simultaneously rolling her eyes.
"Well, we'd better send this off. Can we use Pig, Ron?" Ron nodded.
"Silly git was getting in my way anyhow. Probably do him good, flying to Romania." The three headed up towards the Owlery. Once there, it wasn't difficult to locate Pigwidgeon. He was hooting wildly and flying around in circles. The other owls regarded him with trying patience. Ron leapt up and grabbed the tiny owl out of the air, its head poking out of his fist.
"Hold still!" he cried to the minute owl. Ron eventually got the letter tied to Pig's foot and let him go. The letter was almost larger than the owl itself. "Take it to Charlie, in Romania!" he yelled after it as Pig flew away. "And take your time with it," Ron muttered, as an afterthought. The three headed back down to the Great Hall to stuff themselves with lunch before going off to their next classes.
*Well. that's the Hogwarts fix for the day. Please review just so that I know people are reading. well, even if you're not reading, I'll keep writing, but that's not the point!!! Hit that "Submit review" button on the left hand corner of your screen!! You can do it!! Go on! (
Disclaimer: Only the plot is mine... * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Hermione!" Harry waved his and Ron's friend over to the spots they had saved in the Great Hall for breakfast that morning. "What do we have first today?"
"Double Herbology," replied Hermione instantly. "I think we're doing something with Tentaculas today."
"You mean that venomous thing that always tries to eat me?" asked Ron through a mouthful of waffle.
"I don't think we're working with the full grown ones yet. Probably just the seedlings and those don't have enough poison to kill you - just take a chunk out of you if they bite you hard enough." Ron and Harry looked at each other. As usual, Hermione was several lessons ahead of everyone else - by a few years, most likely. All three turned their full attention to their meals, when they heard a fluttering of wings above.
"Ah, mail's here," said Ron. He noticed that Charlie's horned owl, Thor, was among the crowd. "Look, I've got a letter from Charlie." He looked at his two comrades. "That's strange; the last time he wrote me was back in first year, remember, when we had to get rid of Norbert?" The other two nodded. "I wonder what he wants," Ron wondered out loud.
"Open it; let's see," said Harry. Ron rolled out the parchment and read it out loud so that all three could hear.
"'Dear Ron, I hope you're well. How are your classes going? Still taking Care of Magical Creatures? Anyways, I have sort of a technical question for Harry and Hermione -' figures," muttered Ron. "The only time I get a letter from my older brother is to ask you two a question."
"Keep going," urged Hermione. "Find out what he wants to know."
"'I was wondering if either one of them could write me back and give me detailed instructions on how to use a telephone. Send your reply only if you have the instructions, and please hurry! Love, Charlie,'" Ron finished.
"Why does he want to know how to use a telephone?" wondered Harry.
"I dunno. Seems kind of weird, doesn't it? Why doesn't he just talk through the fires; he's a fully licensed wizard. Maybe he's developing a weird interest in Muggles, like Dad. bloody hell, I hope not. One of them in the family's enough," mused Ron. All of the sudden, the letter was snatched out of Ron's hands.
"What's this?" asked Fred. George looked over his twin's shoulder.
"Our dear older brother wrote you but not us? I think I'm hurt!" claimed George.
"What does he need to know how to use a phone for?" asked Fred.
"We were just trying to figure that out when you took my letter from me!" said Ron, reaching up to reclaim it.
"Keep your shirt on. we're not done with it yet," claimed Fred.
"What more do you need to read?" asked Ron bitterly. "You've read the whole bloody thing."
"Watch your language, Ronnie," cried George. "What would Mum think of your tongue?"
"Bugger off," he muttered. He motioned to Harry and Hermione and grabbed their bags. "On three, k, Harry?" he muttered on the side of his mouth, as they walked away. Harry nodded. The twins shrugged and began poring over the letter. "One..two..three," Ron said under his breath. Harry suddenly turned around and shouted, "Accio letter!" The letter went flying out of Fred's hands, and the twins let out cries of frustration and anger. Since the Triwizard Tournament, Harry had become the local expert on summoning charms, and the three friends often used it to their advantage.
Grinning happily, Ron, Harry, and Hermione left the Great Hall, Charlie's letter in hand. They headed toward the greenhouses for Herbology, talking quietly about the different reasons Charlie might ask such an obscure question. Indeed, in Herbology, they found themselves dealing with young Tentaculas, as Hermione had predicted. Ron had been sent to hospital wing after class, as it seemed that the seedlings found him as appetizing as the full grown Tentacula had.
"Bloody plant," muttered Ron, his hand lightly bandaged up.
"Yeah, after taking that chunk of your hand out, it was pretty bloody," quipped Harry, grinning until Ron sent him a murderous glance.
"We don't have class until after lunch so why don't we go to the common room and write Charlie back?" suggested Hermione.
"Sure," replied Harry. Ron didn't respond, cradling his injured hand instead. The three headed up to the Gryffindor common room, quickly grabbing the last table as soon as the Fat Lady's portrait opened up. Hermione pulled a spare piece of parchment and quill out of her bag. With her quill poised over the paper, she looked expectantly at the other two.
"Well?" she asked. "What should we write?" Ron shrugged.
"I don't even know how to use a phone; this is yours and Harry's thing." Hermione turned to Harry.
"I dunno, Hermione. The Dursleys never let me use a phone. I mean, I know how, but it's not like I can describe it. This is totally your field," he responded to her. She let out a sigh of frustration.
"Honestly! Both of you!" Both boys looked at her, slightly alarmed. "Ron, Charlie is your brother, so you could at least add something in there. And Harry, just say something encouraging like, 'you'll get the hang of it' or whatever! Charlie asked for our help, and we're going to give it to him!"
"Hermione. honestly, it's probably not that urgent. Charlie is most likely just turning into Dad or something," said Ron. "Why is this letter such a big deal to you, anyways?"
"Yeah, are you sweet on him or something?" chimed Harry. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"If I deny it, you'll accuse me of lying, and if I said 'yes' you'd only make fun of me. But while we're on the subject, no, I don't," replied Hermione icily. "I just think it'd be nice to help out Charlie, especially since he's helped us out plenty of times. Remember Norbert? We owe it to him." She looked each boy in the eye. They both finally grumbled their consent and saw her point. They huddled together and Hermione began to write in her tiny, neat script.
"'Dear Charlie,'" she said out loud as she wrote, "'Harry and I would be delighted to let you in on the secrets of using a phone. First, you have to pick it up. The end with the cord goes near your mouth, and the other end goes to your ear. Locate the numbers, and then punch them in the order that the number you're calling is. You'll hear rings, and then someone will pick up on the other end. Then just talk like normal. If nobody picks up, you'll probably get an answering machine, so just talk to it, and it'll record your voice and the person will most likely call you back. Good luck! Hermione.'" She handed the parchment to Ron.
"'Charlie, why in the world do you need to know how to use a bloody phone? Well, I don't know how to either, so Hermione's instructions will probably work. And yes, Harry, Hermione and I are still in Care of Magical Creatures. Write back soon. Love, Ron.'" Ron handed it to Harry. Harry bit his lip and placed quill to parchment, quickly writing down the first thing that came to mind.
"'Er. good luck, mate. Phones are tricky business. Harry.'" Hermione looked at him.
"That's it?"
"Yeah, I think you covered it pretty well, Hermione." She sighed and rolled up the parchment, simultaneously rolling her eyes.
"Well, we'd better send this off. Can we use Pig, Ron?" Ron nodded.
"Silly git was getting in my way anyhow. Probably do him good, flying to Romania." The three headed up towards the Owlery. Once there, it wasn't difficult to locate Pigwidgeon. He was hooting wildly and flying around in circles. The other owls regarded him with trying patience. Ron leapt up and grabbed the tiny owl out of the air, its head poking out of his fist.
"Hold still!" he cried to the minute owl. Ron eventually got the letter tied to Pig's foot and let him go. The letter was almost larger than the owl itself. "Take it to Charlie, in Romania!" he yelled after it as Pig flew away. "And take your time with it," Ron muttered, as an afterthought. The three headed back down to the Great Hall to stuff themselves with lunch before going off to their next classes.
*Well. that's the Hogwarts fix for the day. Please review just so that I know people are reading. well, even if you're not reading, I'll keep writing, but that's not the point!!! Hit that "Submit review" button on the left hand corner of your screen!! You can do it!! Go on! (