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Heather Hidden
Chapter Five
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"Thea just hauls off and decks this other girl!" Thomas laughed as he finished his story, "To this day she has no idea why she got into trouble!"
Everyone chuckled and giggled at the last sentence, a sound that all had become acclimated to.
The party had continued for well over three hours until Sirius had to go to avoid being seen by Fudge, who'd popped into to check on the boy himself. Remus skipped out twenty minutes later to get some lesson plans together, so Heather would have both an example of what she needed to do as well as have emergency plans on reserve. Arthur Weasley was called away by the Ministry for a last-minute raid, the teachers disappearing with him.
"Hey, Heath?" Thea leaned over, "Do you think Dumbledore'd let us use the Pitch?"
"Maybe. I'll go find him and ask." The redhead raised her hand, placing it against her best friend's head, "I didn't give Harry his other gift. Give it to him for me."
"Don't you want to?" She asked when the other moved away.
"I do, but they all have been gone a little too long and I really wanna go find out what they are up to." She sighed, "Especially if it means that Uncle Severus is going out."
The Swede nodded, and shoved her friend off the table. A polite smile washed away any thought of anger, as Heather left the Great Hall. "Hey, Harry. Come 'ere." She called.
He approached calmly, but hesitantly, and spoke as well as he could, "Yes, Thea?"
"Heather got you something else, okay? She wanted to give it you herself, but whenever the faculty disappears for more than five minutes, it usually means they're up to something. She went to check on them. Sooo, that means I get to give you…this." A box had appeared beside her hand. It was wrapped in white paper, and was more proportioned for office supplies than a gift.
Slowly, he pulled the paper from the carton, delicately removed the bow, then proceeded to tear it open.
Several books and multiple outfits in the colors of the rainbow were laid one on top of the other. At the bottom, a warm-looking robe of forest-green velvet invited his touch, evoking a tiny memory.
"This was Dad's."
The blonde girl smiled, "It was."
Nestled within the robe was a hand-carved box. The initials L.P. carved into the lid, and the Hogwarts symbol embossed into a small piece of gold sealed into the wood on the front panel. With the same amount of care that he would handle a newborn, Harry opened his mother's keepsake home.
Inside two Muggle pictures of assorted people were held in place with magic – one of the Marauders as Heather had identified them; James, Lily, Peter, Sirius, Remus, Severus, and another girl named Satine, while the other picture held the smiling faces of his parents, himself…and a youthful Heather.
"Thea…"
She knew immediately what he was looking at, "Yes, that's Heath."
He looked at her very puzzled; "Heather practically lived at your house, so there are lots of pictures of your parents, you, and her. In various combinations."
"Oh." He let himself return to rooting through his mother's old possession. A key was collecting dust in the very corner of the shoebox-sized item, with two necklaces, one of pearls and one with magic-related charms hanging on it, and a locket tangled impossibly together. He reached in, withdrew the silver, ornately engraved locket after removing the strand of pink-tinged pearls, and opened the interlocking sides. The black-and-white faces of himself and, once again, Heather stared back.
"She said Voldemort killed her parents. Is that why she's in all these pictures?" The curiosity was killing him, but any reply was expunged, as the professors returned. The redheaded girl's features relayed the message that she had somehow managed to pull some sort of prank on them.
Albus watched for a moment, then spoke, "I believe we've played as many indoor games as possible. Why don't we do something outside now? It would be a beautiful idea if we all got some fresh air."
"Umm…well, I mean it's okay if no one wants to, but Heather did say earlier that she would show me some new Quidditch moves." He tried to control the level of hopefulness in his voice – it kept manipulating her, he was sure of it, and he didn't like thinking that she was bending to him because Paddock pitied him.
"You volunteered to show him Quidditch moves?" Severus screeched. It wasn't that he was angry about her desire to bond with the boy, to make him understand that he would be cared for, but of all things…
"I'd love to, Harry." She smiled, And it's alright to let your voice convey your desires. If I didn't want to do something with you, I would politely give you another option.
He nodded sweetly, "Could we play it?"
"Gods, I haven't played Quidditch in years. The last time I slugged some Ravenclaw for purposely knocking me out of the air." She grinned, as though it were some sort of accomplishment.
"You should see her ride! It's like she's on a skateboard!" The blue-haired teenager raved, seeing the youths' eyes widen.
"Thomas, don't use Heath as your voyeur." Came the reprimand from his twin.
"Thank you, Thea!" The redhead stood, "Would you like to decide teams now or once we get to the field?" She paused, employing magic on the lone figure trying to get out of the room without attracting attention, "And you are so playing, Uncle Severus. On Harry's side."
There was an audible groan in response.
"Decide on the field."
"Alright." She took his hand in hers and started out of the Hall, then stopped short. She turned around and reached into the abandoned and forgotten present box, coming out with the velvet robe. Deftly and close-lipped, she closed it around his shoulders.
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The nineteen-year old watched as her brother laughed at the antics of a rusty set of teams. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Snape, Dorothea, Fred, and Mrs. Weasley couldn't get their roles working together, while speed seemed the problem for Dumbledore, George, Trelawney, Ginny, Thomas, Dean, and Hooch.
Both of Hermione's parents had calmly joined her in Gryffindors' designated bleachers, staring after their daughter as she defied gravity to fly fifty feet in the air.
"Does everyone do this?" Mr. Granger asked, a bit nervous.
"Pretty much. Some don't like the heights." She smiled reassuringly at them, "I promise that Hermione isn't going to get hurt. I won't let her."
The man relaxed and she leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees, "That was the first clue."
Minerva picked up on the statement, "What?"
"The whole skateboard-broom conversation that Thea and I had a little while ago. I envisioned it. I knew it was going to happen. We must hope the others don't happen."
"Stop worrying, love. All will work out in the end – like it always does with you."
Calmly, Heather leaned back, breathing deep, "I'm having the summer house remodeled."
"I wondered when you would start on that. Your uncle has as well."
"Surprise, surprise."
A bout of undeterminable silence descended then, the game continuing on.
Harry's team won.
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*v* Cassie Jamie *v*
cj.1@cassie-jamie.com
