The next morning at breakfast, Amy quickly filled Hermione in on what
had happened the previous evening. She didn't want to say too much with
Harry around, for fear that he might get mad again.
"That's so romantic!" cried Hermione, her eyes actually misting over. She grabbed Amy's hands. "Maybe it will be your wedding one day!"
Amy laughed. "I'm not pushing anything."
When the boys arrived in the Great Hall, Amy motioned for Hermione to keep quiet on the subject while Harry and Ron were around. Harry sat down beside Amy and grinned at her. "Sleep okay?" he asked her.
She grinned back. "As always." Breakfast continued and Amy tried to avoid smiling at Tom as he entered the Hall and sat down at the table across the room from her. Soon after, the post arrived and Hedwig dropped a letter in Harry's lap. He fed her some crusts and tore open the envelope.
"Is it from Sirius?" Amy asked, leaning over his shoulder, but Harry pulled the letter out of sight.
"Yes. And you can't read it."
"Why not?" Amy pretended to act hurt.
"Because it's about you," Harry teased.
"If its about her, then technically she should be able to read it," Hermione joined in. Ron shot her a dirty look that plainly said stay out of this and Hermione kept quiet.
"Come on, let me see it!" Amy persisted. Harry stood up and moved towards the entrance of the Great Hall, still reading. He folded the parchment up, stuck it in his robe pocket and ran out of the Hall, calling over his shoulder, "You'll have to catch me first!"
His three friends caught on quickly and raced out of the Hall, leaving the rest of the students gawking. Catching up with Harry in front of Hogwarts' entrance, they cornered him. "Let me read it!" Amy said, "Or else you're going in the water!"
"Never!" Harry cried and turned to run. For a few moments, it was just as if they were back in their first year, laughing and having a good time with no worries or cares in the world. Then a looming figure stopped their play.
"Professor Dumbledore!" they cried, happy to see their old Headmaster. The Professor grinned as he greeted them.
"It has been too long," he said, shaking the boys' hands. "How is everyone?" "Good," they chorused. "What are you doing here, Professor?" Harry asked, not wanting to sound rude.
"I'm just here to pick up some retirement papers," the old man replied. "I will not be here for long, however I will be visiting on Halloween this upcoming week. Perhaps we will have a chance to catch up then?"
"Definitely!" they agreed and bid Dumbledore goodbye. Noticing the time, they rushed up to the common room to get ready for Transfiguration.
Halloween arrived with a bang at Hogwarts. Amy woke up, feeling refreshed and happy. She had been seeing more and more of Tom lately, and discovered that he may harbour some deep characteristics of Slytherin, but in all, he was a really great guy. He offered to help her with her homework and they would spent countless hours in the library studying, with Hermione sitting with them, behind a stack of books, staring dreamily at him. Ron and Harry weren't far away, glaring.
For the scariest day of the year, Halloween morning proved to be beautiful outside. The sun shone through the dormitory window, bathing Amy in sunlight as she awoke from a deep sleep. Standing and stretching, she listened to the other girls banter about the Feast that evening. Joining them, she, too, began to discuss the plans for the day.
Classes were to be cut short by an hour to allow time for a small outdoor gathering for all students. It was a nice chance to catch up with your friends, or some homework, if you hadn't done it already. You could relax in the library, or outside, by the water. This took place until everyone was called to the Great Hall for the Halloween Feast. Amy had enjoyed several Halloweens at Hogwarts so far and each one just got better and better. Minus the one her first year when a mountain troll had found its way into the school, causing several students to panic and pass out.
"Are you ready for the day?" chirped Ginny Weasley, who also shared the girls' dorm. Any other day, Amy would have basically growled at Ginny. She couldn't stand those who were up and raring to go before eight in the morning. It was a jealousy thing, basically, for Amy envied those people. Instead, this morning, she beamed at Ginny and replied, "I sure am!"
Downstairs they all trooped, and the girls discovered Ron and Harry already downstairs in the common room, in a conversation. "I can remember it, just not from where," Harry was saying quietly, as if he were afraid someone would hear him. "But I wish I could remember because it is driving me crazy." Noticing that the girls had entered the room, he stood up from the chair quickly, almost knocking heads with Ron. "Morning, ladies," he said, bowing goofily.
Amy giggled. "You're such a nerd," she joked and Harry took her arm and started to lead her out of the room. "I know."
The Hall was decorated more beautifully than any of the past years, as far as Amy was concerned. They sat down at their table and thoroughly enjoyed breakfast. When they were finished, Ron said, "If that was breakfast, I can't wait to see what dinner is like!"
"You're always thinking of food," Hermione grumbled. Seeing Harry and Amy getting along so well made her want someone to get along with like that. But she was convinced that Ron was too dense to notice her temptations.
"When do you guys think Professor Dumbledore will be arriving?" Amy asked, smiling shyly as Tom entered the Hall. Why he always got there after everyone ate, she was never sure. Come to think of it, she had never seen him eat, nor drink anything, that she could remember. It seemed odd, but maybe he didn't like to eat in front of people.
"I don't know. This afternoon, maybe?" Hermione answered. "I will be shocked if he isn't here for the Feast tonight."
"He'll be a fool if he isn't," said Ron, staring hungrily at the leftover food on the table in front of him. Hermione rolled her eyes.
It seemed that no student was able to concentrate during class. Professor McLellan had to refrain from screaming angrily several times during his class. Seamus was the main source of trouble. He had gotten these little yellow rubber happy faces that bounced high in the air when you turned them inside out. He was jinxing them so that they would bounce higher and repeatedly.
"Mr. Finnigan, if I have to remind you once more that I do not tolerate that kind of behaviour, I will kick you out," said the angry teacher, struggling to keep his voice calm. Amy assumed that even he was in the Halloween spirit, for no matter how many times he threatened Seamus that he was going to kick him out, he never did.
Amy noticed that Tom looked unusually tired during class. She had expected him to be thriving, as Halloween was his favourite time of the year. After class, she cornered him and asked what was wrong.
"I'm just tired," he retorted. "Just really tired." He smiled weakly. "But don't worry. I'm still somewhat full of energy. Would you care to take a trip with me tonight?"
"I don't know. It depends on where to," Amy said, grinning. She expected him to say Hogsmeade, which would suit her fine. The only place that rivalled Hogwarts at Halloween time was Hogsmeade, the nearby all- wizarding village. But instead, Tom replied, "You'll have to wait and see," in a teasing, singsong voice. Amy obeyed his request to wait and see and she went about the last class of the day (Potions) with a happy disposition.
"That's so romantic!" cried Hermione, her eyes actually misting over. She grabbed Amy's hands. "Maybe it will be your wedding one day!"
Amy laughed. "I'm not pushing anything."
When the boys arrived in the Great Hall, Amy motioned for Hermione to keep quiet on the subject while Harry and Ron were around. Harry sat down beside Amy and grinned at her. "Sleep okay?" he asked her.
She grinned back. "As always." Breakfast continued and Amy tried to avoid smiling at Tom as he entered the Hall and sat down at the table across the room from her. Soon after, the post arrived and Hedwig dropped a letter in Harry's lap. He fed her some crusts and tore open the envelope.
"Is it from Sirius?" Amy asked, leaning over his shoulder, but Harry pulled the letter out of sight.
"Yes. And you can't read it."
"Why not?" Amy pretended to act hurt.
"Because it's about you," Harry teased.
"If its about her, then technically she should be able to read it," Hermione joined in. Ron shot her a dirty look that plainly said stay out of this and Hermione kept quiet.
"Come on, let me see it!" Amy persisted. Harry stood up and moved towards the entrance of the Great Hall, still reading. He folded the parchment up, stuck it in his robe pocket and ran out of the Hall, calling over his shoulder, "You'll have to catch me first!"
His three friends caught on quickly and raced out of the Hall, leaving the rest of the students gawking. Catching up with Harry in front of Hogwarts' entrance, they cornered him. "Let me read it!" Amy said, "Or else you're going in the water!"
"Never!" Harry cried and turned to run. For a few moments, it was just as if they were back in their first year, laughing and having a good time with no worries or cares in the world. Then a looming figure stopped their play.
"Professor Dumbledore!" they cried, happy to see their old Headmaster. The Professor grinned as he greeted them.
"It has been too long," he said, shaking the boys' hands. "How is everyone?" "Good," they chorused. "What are you doing here, Professor?" Harry asked, not wanting to sound rude.
"I'm just here to pick up some retirement papers," the old man replied. "I will not be here for long, however I will be visiting on Halloween this upcoming week. Perhaps we will have a chance to catch up then?"
"Definitely!" they agreed and bid Dumbledore goodbye. Noticing the time, they rushed up to the common room to get ready for Transfiguration.
Halloween arrived with a bang at Hogwarts. Amy woke up, feeling refreshed and happy. She had been seeing more and more of Tom lately, and discovered that he may harbour some deep characteristics of Slytherin, but in all, he was a really great guy. He offered to help her with her homework and they would spent countless hours in the library studying, with Hermione sitting with them, behind a stack of books, staring dreamily at him. Ron and Harry weren't far away, glaring.
For the scariest day of the year, Halloween morning proved to be beautiful outside. The sun shone through the dormitory window, bathing Amy in sunlight as she awoke from a deep sleep. Standing and stretching, she listened to the other girls banter about the Feast that evening. Joining them, she, too, began to discuss the plans for the day.
Classes were to be cut short by an hour to allow time for a small outdoor gathering for all students. It was a nice chance to catch up with your friends, or some homework, if you hadn't done it already. You could relax in the library, or outside, by the water. This took place until everyone was called to the Great Hall for the Halloween Feast. Amy had enjoyed several Halloweens at Hogwarts so far and each one just got better and better. Minus the one her first year when a mountain troll had found its way into the school, causing several students to panic and pass out.
"Are you ready for the day?" chirped Ginny Weasley, who also shared the girls' dorm. Any other day, Amy would have basically growled at Ginny. She couldn't stand those who were up and raring to go before eight in the morning. It was a jealousy thing, basically, for Amy envied those people. Instead, this morning, she beamed at Ginny and replied, "I sure am!"
Downstairs they all trooped, and the girls discovered Ron and Harry already downstairs in the common room, in a conversation. "I can remember it, just not from where," Harry was saying quietly, as if he were afraid someone would hear him. "But I wish I could remember because it is driving me crazy." Noticing that the girls had entered the room, he stood up from the chair quickly, almost knocking heads with Ron. "Morning, ladies," he said, bowing goofily.
Amy giggled. "You're such a nerd," she joked and Harry took her arm and started to lead her out of the room. "I know."
The Hall was decorated more beautifully than any of the past years, as far as Amy was concerned. They sat down at their table and thoroughly enjoyed breakfast. When they were finished, Ron said, "If that was breakfast, I can't wait to see what dinner is like!"
"You're always thinking of food," Hermione grumbled. Seeing Harry and Amy getting along so well made her want someone to get along with like that. But she was convinced that Ron was too dense to notice her temptations.
"When do you guys think Professor Dumbledore will be arriving?" Amy asked, smiling shyly as Tom entered the Hall. Why he always got there after everyone ate, she was never sure. Come to think of it, she had never seen him eat, nor drink anything, that she could remember. It seemed odd, but maybe he didn't like to eat in front of people.
"I don't know. This afternoon, maybe?" Hermione answered. "I will be shocked if he isn't here for the Feast tonight."
"He'll be a fool if he isn't," said Ron, staring hungrily at the leftover food on the table in front of him. Hermione rolled her eyes.
It seemed that no student was able to concentrate during class. Professor McLellan had to refrain from screaming angrily several times during his class. Seamus was the main source of trouble. He had gotten these little yellow rubber happy faces that bounced high in the air when you turned them inside out. He was jinxing them so that they would bounce higher and repeatedly.
"Mr. Finnigan, if I have to remind you once more that I do not tolerate that kind of behaviour, I will kick you out," said the angry teacher, struggling to keep his voice calm. Amy assumed that even he was in the Halloween spirit, for no matter how many times he threatened Seamus that he was going to kick him out, he never did.
Amy noticed that Tom looked unusually tired during class. She had expected him to be thriving, as Halloween was his favourite time of the year. After class, she cornered him and asked what was wrong.
"I'm just tired," he retorted. "Just really tired." He smiled weakly. "But don't worry. I'm still somewhat full of energy. Would you care to take a trip with me tonight?"
"I don't know. It depends on where to," Amy said, grinning. She expected him to say Hogsmeade, which would suit her fine. The only place that rivalled Hogwarts at Halloween time was Hogsmeade, the nearby all- wizarding village. But instead, Tom replied, "You'll have to wait and see," in a teasing, singsong voice. Amy obeyed his request to wait and see and she went about the last class of the day (Potions) with a happy disposition.