Chapter 8:
Friends, Enemies, and Winklemire's
Harry and Hermione went to Herbology, still with the Hufflepuffs. The class was much quieter than usual. All present had known Ron well. The whole Gryffindor group hardly said anything but "Pass me the shovel."
When Professor Sprout had called out roll call and got to the last name, Weasley, Ronald, everyone bowed their heads and blinked back tears.
However, as the class went on, they loosened up. Although still strangely formal, they still seemed normal enough to ask Harry if he was really going out with Hermione. At least, the Hufflepuffs did. The Gryffindors, especially the boys, seemed to think that bothering Harry at the time was a bad idea. They were right, as the Hufflepuffs soon found out.
"Sorry about Ron," Said Ernie McMillan. "But now you've got a girlfriend instead!" Ernie shrank back at the look of icy venom Harry gave him.
Harry stared out the window, thinking that Ron wouldn't be there for their first Hogsmeade trip. Fred and George were holding the grand opening of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.
Little did Harry know that not too far away, in the city of Marigold, Ron was at a joke shop, having a ball.
"Oooh, what are these?" Ron asked enthusiastically. Harmony grinned, but Sirius grinned broader.
"These," He announced, "are exploding cheese balls! When someone touches them after they come out of that box, they let out a bang and a cloud of blue smoke."
"Sirius set a bunch of those out at the last royal banquet," Said Harmony, rolling her eyes. They all started laughing. They were still chuckling as they left, carrying two large sacks of various troublemaking gadgets that Fred and George would have loved.
"That's it!" Ron declared as the carpet started rising. "I'm going to be accepted! There's just one problem. Wouldn't I need a wand for these so-called 'tests'?"
"Well, duh!" Exclaimed Harmony. "I forgot! All right, to Winklemire's!"
"Winklemire's?" Ron asked with a quizzical look at Sirius.
"It's the wand shop, like Ollivander's at Diagon Alley. Except Miss Winklemire is much nicer and less creepy than Mr. Ollivander," Sirius explained.
"I keep forgetting you've never been here," Said Harmony. The carpet slowed in front of a small shop with the words "Winklemire's Wands since 1274" sparkling in the window.
As the trio walked into the wand shop, a woman walked into the front room. Ron's stomach gave a funny jolt, this lady reminded him of his mother.
"Good day, your majesty," She said warmly. "What can I do for you?"
"Hello. This young man needs a decent wand," Harmony replied, gesturing to Ron.
"Oh, is this your new human friend I've heard about?"
"Does news travel that fast?" Harmony asked exasperatedly, but Miss Winklemire wasn't listening. Instead she was measuring Ron's height, arm span, arm length, tooth length, and other lengths Ron didn't know he had.
Finally she grabbed a wand and handed it to him.
"Give it a wave!" She urged. Ron whirled the wand, sending gold and black sparks through the shop.
"Hmm, strange." Miss Winklemire said.
"What's strange?" Harmony inquired. "You've always been right on your first try. Winklemire's is famous for it!"
"I know," Said Miss Winklemire. "Do you remember your wand, princess?"
"Of course!" She exclaimed. "Beech, eleven inches, dragon heartstring, and centaur mane! So?"
"Do you remember what was so peculiar about your wand?"
Harmony rolled her eyes at this question. "Only two wands have been made in the last century containing centaur mane, and I bought one of them."
"Sir," Said Miss Winklemire, turning to Ron. "Your wand is oak, thirteen inches, unicorn tail, and centaur mane."
"Wait a second!" Said Harmony. "He has the other wand?"
Miss Winklemire nodded her head.
"Well, Ron, I guess we have more in common than we thought,"
"But Harry and You-Know-Who have-" Ron began.
"Voldemort?" Asked Harmony. Ron flinched, but for once he was in the minority.
"Of course! What'd you say his bloody name for?"
"Ron," Said Sirius. "Everyone says Voldemort's name properly here. Get used to it." "Well, they both have wands containing one feather from the same phoenix. The wands went berserk while they were dueling each other."
"I highly doubt you two will be dueling," Said Miss Winklemire."But it wouldn't matter anyway. They're not from the same centuar."
"Oh, good," Ron replied. They walked out of Winklemire's and into the sunshine.
"Uh oh..." Sirius muttered.
"What?" Ron and Harmony asked in unison.
"Drep at 4:00."
"Well, well, well," Came a peircing voice. Ron spun around. There was a boy around nineteen standing there. He had long brown hair and black eyes. He was good looking, but he reminded Ron of another archenemy, Draco Malfoy.
"Hello Your Majesty," The boy said, bowing sarcastically. "Is this your new boyfriend? My, my, I knew you weren't fit for royalty, but I never thought you would sink so low as to date a human." Ron's face matche his hair by now, but Harmony reminded admiringly calm.
"Just because I won't date you, Drep, gives you no right to criticize my freind. Father will agree that his acceptance testing is to begin as soon as possible when the Council sees him. " Harmony said this in a voice that reminded Ron that she was a princess. The guy, 'Drep' as they called him, turned slightly pink and left.
"Who was that?" Ron asked as the carpet headed back to the castle.
"Celvin Drep," Harmony replied, rolling her eyes agian. "He's Sir Drep's son."
"Sir Drep?"
"One of the dukes," Said Sirius. "He's just like his son. I don't see how the king can trust either one of them."
"I turned Drep Jr. down for a dance at a ball, and he's been mad about it ever since." Harmony shook her head. "He only asked because he wants to marry me. And he only wants to marry me because then he would be next in line to be king. I can't stand him."
They walked into the castle, still talking about Drep. As they approached what would've been the gargole into Professor Dumbledore's office Ron remembered with a stab fo fear what lie ahead of him. The King was okay alone, but with the Council...Ron couldn't be sure.
Harmony shushed them.
"Sirius, you stay here," she instructed.
"Why?" he replied indignintly.
"Sirius!" Harmony said with exasperation. "He's meeting with the Council now, remember? We must act proper."
Well, Princess," Sirius retorted, trying not to laugh. "You would lookmore proper in your 'royal robes'."
"Oh, yeah," she said, blushing. She took out her wand and muttered a few words under her breath. Instantly she was wearing long royal blue robes made of the same flowing material she had been wearing the previous night, A floor lenght deep purple cloak was draped over her shoulders, beautifully contrasting with her suddenly perfectly combed and arranged vivid gold hair. A three point crown (one large point in between two smaller points) carved frjjom turqiuse was perfectly situated on her head so that the largest point linde up with her nose. Although only the front of the crown was visible, Ron knew a band of turquise surrounded her head under her hair. In the center of the largest point was a single, large oval crystal that sent rainbows through the air when the light through the window hit it in just the right way. She looked magnificent.
"What are you gaping at?" Harmony asked Ron while Sirius sniggered at his reaction.
"You...um...look...uh...er...great..." Ron stammered. Sirius couldn't help himself. He burst out laughing.
"Put your eyes back in," Harmony snapped, causing Sirius to laugh even harder. "Here, let's make you look high class." She waved her wand and Ron's robes became jungle green, a very good color on him. His hair was automatically tamed, and he felt like he had just stepped out of the shower.
"Are you ready for this?" she asked him.
"I'm ready.
Friends, Enemies, and Winklemire's
Harry and Hermione went to Herbology, still with the Hufflepuffs. The class was much quieter than usual. All present had known Ron well. The whole Gryffindor group hardly said anything but "Pass me the shovel."
When Professor Sprout had called out roll call and got to the last name, Weasley, Ronald, everyone bowed their heads and blinked back tears.
However, as the class went on, they loosened up. Although still strangely formal, they still seemed normal enough to ask Harry if he was really going out with Hermione. At least, the Hufflepuffs did. The Gryffindors, especially the boys, seemed to think that bothering Harry at the time was a bad idea. They were right, as the Hufflepuffs soon found out.
"Sorry about Ron," Said Ernie McMillan. "But now you've got a girlfriend instead!" Ernie shrank back at the look of icy venom Harry gave him.
Harry stared out the window, thinking that Ron wouldn't be there for their first Hogsmeade trip. Fred and George were holding the grand opening of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.
Little did Harry know that not too far away, in the city of Marigold, Ron was at a joke shop, having a ball.
"Oooh, what are these?" Ron asked enthusiastically. Harmony grinned, but Sirius grinned broader.
"These," He announced, "are exploding cheese balls! When someone touches them after they come out of that box, they let out a bang and a cloud of blue smoke."
"Sirius set a bunch of those out at the last royal banquet," Said Harmony, rolling her eyes. They all started laughing. They were still chuckling as they left, carrying two large sacks of various troublemaking gadgets that Fred and George would have loved.
"That's it!" Ron declared as the carpet started rising. "I'm going to be accepted! There's just one problem. Wouldn't I need a wand for these so-called 'tests'?"
"Well, duh!" Exclaimed Harmony. "I forgot! All right, to Winklemire's!"
"Winklemire's?" Ron asked with a quizzical look at Sirius.
"It's the wand shop, like Ollivander's at Diagon Alley. Except Miss Winklemire is much nicer and less creepy than Mr. Ollivander," Sirius explained.
"I keep forgetting you've never been here," Said Harmony. The carpet slowed in front of a small shop with the words "Winklemire's Wands since 1274" sparkling in the window.
As the trio walked into the wand shop, a woman walked into the front room. Ron's stomach gave a funny jolt, this lady reminded him of his mother.
"Good day, your majesty," She said warmly. "What can I do for you?"
"Hello. This young man needs a decent wand," Harmony replied, gesturing to Ron.
"Oh, is this your new human friend I've heard about?"
"Does news travel that fast?" Harmony asked exasperatedly, but Miss Winklemire wasn't listening. Instead she was measuring Ron's height, arm span, arm length, tooth length, and other lengths Ron didn't know he had.
Finally she grabbed a wand and handed it to him.
"Give it a wave!" She urged. Ron whirled the wand, sending gold and black sparks through the shop.
"Hmm, strange." Miss Winklemire said.
"What's strange?" Harmony inquired. "You've always been right on your first try. Winklemire's is famous for it!"
"I know," Said Miss Winklemire. "Do you remember your wand, princess?"
"Of course!" She exclaimed. "Beech, eleven inches, dragon heartstring, and centaur mane! So?"
"Do you remember what was so peculiar about your wand?"
Harmony rolled her eyes at this question. "Only two wands have been made in the last century containing centaur mane, and I bought one of them."
"Sir," Said Miss Winklemire, turning to Ron. "Your wand is oak, thirteen inches, unicorn tail, and centaur mane."
"Wait a second!" Said Harmony. "He has the other wand?"
Miss Winklemire nodded her head.
"Well, Ron, I guess we have more in common than we thought,"
"But Harry and You-Know-Who have-" Ron began.
"Voldemort?" Asked Harmony. Ron flinched, but for once he was in the minority.
"Of course! What'd you say his bloody name for?"
"Ron," Said Sirius. "Everyone says Voldemort's name properly here. Get used to it." "Well, they both have wands containing one feather from the same phoenix. The wands went berserk while they were dueling each other."
"I highly doubt you two will be dueling," Said Miss Winklemire."But it wouldn't matter anyway. They're not from the same centuar."
"Oh, good," Ron replied. They walked out of Winklemire's and into the sunshine.
"Uh oh..." Sirius muttered.
"What?" Ron and Harmony asked in unison.
"Drep at 4:00."
"Well, well, well," Came a peircing voice. Ron spun around. There was a boy around nineteen standing there. He had long brown hair and black eyes. He was good looking, but he reminded Ron of another archenemy, Draco Malfoy.
"Hello Your Majesty," The boy said, bowing sarcastically. "Is this your new boyfriend? My, my, I knew you weren't fit for royalty, but I never thought you would sink so low as to date a human." Ron's face matche his hair by now, but Harmony reminded admiringly calm.
"Just because I won't date you, Drep, gives you no right to criticize my freind. Father will agree that his acceptance testing is to begin as soon as possible when the Council sees him. " Harmony said this in a voice that reminded Ron that she was a princess. The guy, 'Drep' as they called him, turned slightly pink and left.
"Who was that?" Ron asked as the carpet headed back to the castle.
"Celvin Drep," Harmony replied, rolling her eyes agian. "He's Sir Drep's son."
"Sir Drep?"
"One of the dukes," Said Sirius. "He's just like his son. I don't see how the king can trust either one of them."
"I turned Drep Jr. down for a dance at a ball, and he's been mad about it ever since." Harmony shook her head. "He only asked because he wants to marry me. And he only wants to marry me because then he would be next in line to be king. I can't stand him."
They walked into the castle, still talking about Drep. As they approached what would've been the gargole into Professor Dumbledore's office Ron remembered with a stab fo fear what lie ahead of him. The King was okay alone, but with the Council...Ron couldn't be sure.
Harmony shushed them.
"Sirius, you stay here," she instructed.
"Why?" he replied indignintly.
"Sirius!" Harmony said with exasperation. "He's meeting with the Council now, remember? We must act proper."
Well, Princess," Sirius retorted, trying not to laugh. "You would lookmore proper in your 'royal robes'."
"Oh, yeah," she said, blushing. She took out her wand and muttered a few words under her breath. Instantly she was wearing long royal blue robes made of the same flowing material she had been wearing the previous night, A floor lenght deep purple cloak was draped over her shoulders, beautifully contrasting with her suddenly perfectly combed and arranged vivid gold hair. A three point crown (one large point in between two smaller points) carved frjjom turqiuse was perfectly situated on her head so that the largest point linde up with her nose. Although only the front of the crown was visible, Ron knew a band of turquise surrounded her head under her hair. In the center of the largest point was a single, large oval crystal that sent rainbows through the air when the light through the window hit it in just the right way. She looked magnificent.
"What are you gaping at?" Harmony asked Ron while Sirius sniggered at his reaction.
"You...um...look...uh...er...great..." Ron stammered. Sirius couldn't help himself. He burst out laughing.
"Put your eyes back in," Harmony snapped, causing Sirius to laugh even harder. "Here, let's make you look high class." She waved her wand and Ron's robes became jungle green, a very good color on him. His hair was automatically tamed, and he felt like he had just stepped out of the shower.
"Are you ready for this?" she asked him.
"I'm ready.