A Harry Situation
By Jill Weber/ Jelsemium
Characters copyrighted by J.K. Rowling and used without permission or intent to
make a profit.
Chapter 22: Recovering From Summer
The Hospital Wing:
Harry was burning again. He was tired of this. He wanted to wake up, but he couldn't quite pull himself out of the quagmire. He drifted in and out, occasionally hearing voices. He thought he heard Ron and Hermione talking about classes. Had he missed class? Was he going to get into trouble for that?
He thought he heard Ginny crying, or was that Hermione? Could it be both?
Once he dreamt that Snape and McGonagall were arguing.
"I really think it inappropriate for you to choose the Granger girl as a prefect, considering her past record," Snape snarled.
"What exactly do you mean by that?" McGonagall demanded.
"She did get a detention severe enough to warrant being sent into the Forbidden Forest," Snape pointed out.
"A detention that was shared by your new prefect, Draco Malfoy," McGonagall countered.
"That's entirely different. Mr. Malfoy was merely trying to catch Potter and his gang in their wrong-doing."
"I see," McGonagall said. "And what were Potter and his 'gang' as you call them, trying to do?"
"That is immaterial," sneered Snape.
"Ah, so Slytherins should be judged by the purity of their intentions, while everybody else should be judged by their actions? And while we're on the subject of intentions, would you mind explaining to me why you never punished Mr. Malfoy for slandering Mr. Potter to that reporter, Rita Skeeter?"
"He thought he was speaking the truth!"
"Yet he must have known that Miss Skeeter was banned from the grounds," McGonagall went on. "Plus there is the matter of Mr. Malfoy trying to kill Mr. Potter."
"I don't know what you're talking about," sneered Snape.
"The time when Mr. Malfoy and his cronies dressed up as Dementors and tried to make Mr. Potter fall from his broomstick during the Gryffindor-Ravenclaw game."
"He was just playing a prank," protested Snape.
"I see. So, a prank that almost gets you killed is cause for a lifelong vendetta against the son of the man who saved you. However, a prank against Potter is merely something to be brushed under the carpet and forgotten."
"I should have known better than to expect a Gryffindor to be impartial," growled Snape.
"You are the one with double standards here, Severus Snape. And if you ever care to accuse me of playing favorites again, you had better have your second chosen. Do I make myself clear?"
"Abundantly so."
"Good, oh, and Mr. Snape? Fifteen points from Slytherin for your cheek."
Eventually Harry roused enough to take in his surroundings. He was in the Hospital Wing. Harry had had enough of hospitals, thank you very much. As soon as his fever subsided, he was petitioning to get out.
"Why can't you just give me some Pepper-up Potion and let me go?" he asked Madam Pomfrey, the school nurse, for the fifth or sixth time that day. He blinked at her from behind his glasses. Arthur Weasley had managed to retrieve them from Fudge and he'd owled them to Harry.
"Because I can't," Madam Pomfrey said, exasperated. "I've told you before, Potter. Pepper-up juice and Wizard's Bane are not a happy mixture. Trust me on this. You'll just have to fight off this pneumonia the old fashioned way."
"I don't understand," Seamus Finnigan, one of Harry's dormitory mates, asked after Madam Pomfrey had left. "Who would give you Wizard's Bane?"
"What is Wizard's Bane?" Dean Thomas wanted to know.
"A question on the Herbology O.W.L.," Neville said. "It impedes a wizard's ability to perform magic. It does not have a noticeable effect on witches."
"It's that orange spiky plant in Greenhouse Two," Hermione explained. "It's used to concoct the Power Drain Potion."
"Power Drain potion is used in Sleepy Spindles," Ron put in. "It's one of the reasons Sleepy Spindles work against things like Hunting Cloaks and Giant Chessmen. It's not an actual sleeping draught, it drains a wizard's power."
"So the wizard isn't actually put to sleep for a century?" Harry rasped.
"Well, the 'sleep for a century' business is a slight exaggeration," Ginny said. "At least, according to The Potions O.W.L. Preparation Guide it is."
"Wait, if it doesn't affect witches, then why did Sleeping Beauty fall asleep?" Dean asked.
"That's a Muggle story, Dean," Ginny said. "It's not exactly accurate."
Seamus frowned. "So who gave this stuff to Harry, and why?"
"It was in my cell," Harry explained. "Apparently, they paint the room with the stuff to keep their prisoners from even attempting wandless magic. I guess it really affected me."
"It's not supposed to be used on children," Olivia Guppy said. She had come over to Harry's bed with a tray of pumpkin juice for his visitors and a goblet of Harry's medicine.
Harry made a face, but drank the foul-tasting concoction.
"But you were supposed to be in protective custody!" Neville blurted. "Why were they treating you like a criminal?"
"According to Fudge, I am one," Harry said darkly. "I'm deranged, you know."
Seamus shrugged. "Well, yes, we've known that for ages," he said. "Hardly anything to get excited about now!"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Fudge is the deranged one," she grumbled. "I hope he gets kicked out of office."
"Be careful what you wish for," Neville warned. "It's possible to get somebody worse than Fudge in office."
Their gloomy thoughts were interrupted by Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington. There was a chorus of greetings for the Gryffindor house ghost.
"Good day," Sir Nicholas said genially. "I'm so sorry to see that you are ill, Mr. Potter. I have something here that might cheer you up a bit." He waved what appeared to be a letter. "As you may recall, we ghosts have our own postal system."
Harry's pulse picked up as he remembered that Sir Nicholas had written to the Headless Hunt several times. "Is that from my grandfather?" he asked.
"Yes, indeed," Sir Nicholas replied. "I regret that you can't have a little more privacy for your correspondence."
The other students looked ready to leave. Harry invited them to stay. He doubted there would be anything too personal in the letter. He was right. It turned out to be an account of Tiberius' Sorting. Tiberius' wry account of the rumors that the First Years had been subjected to had the Gryffindors in stitches and thoughts of Fudge and Wizard's Bane faded from their minds.
The Prowlery
If Harry thought that being sick would let him off homework, he was soon disabused of that impression. Not only did Hermione faithfully bring him his coursework, she began dredging the library for more books on taking O.W.L.s.
"Obviously, there's a strategy to taking the things that we haven't learned yet," she said. "There's no other way to explain our poor performance on those tests. We know the material."
"Maybe those are really questions from the N.E.W.T.s," Ron suggested. "Maybe when we take the actual O.W.L.s, we'll find them so easy, that we'll pass them with ease."
"Maybe," Hermione said. She shot Ron a sideways glance. "Shall we ask your brothers if that's how it works? Or shall we just buckle down and study?"
Ron hesitated. The idea of asking his brothers a possibly stupid and embarrassing question really wasn't a pleasant one.
"Good, let's study like our lives depend on it," Hermione said grimly. "I strongly suspect that they do."
"Somehow, I don't think that my getting a lot of O.W.L.s is going to impress Voldemort," Harry said.
"Look, you promise not to throw that name around with such… abandon… and I'll study with no complaining. Well, almost no complaining," Ron said.
"Oh, this should be fun," Harry said. "I'll do my best not to use that name just to see what your idea of 'almost no complaining' is."
It did actually turn out to be fun. The O.W.L. study sessions started out with Hermione, Ron, Harry and Neville. Soon the other Gryffindors joined in. Then Parvati brought her sister.
Padma starting bringing her Ravenclaw friends.
Justin Finch-Fletchly came to the Hospital Wing after he'd sprained his wrist during Hufflepuff's Quidditch tryouts. He wound up sitting in on a PROWL study session. His friends came up to visit him and wound up staying as well.
Madam Pomfrey complained about the noise, of course, but it was she who came up with the name for the unofficial study sessions. "This is a hospital wing, not a PROWLery!" she snapped when Seamus' banishing charm lesson turned into a pillow race.
From then on, the area of the Hospital Wing where the study sessions were taking place were known as the "Prowlery" and the Fifth-year students took to calling themselves the "Prowlers." (This amused Ron and Harry to no end as it reminded them of the 'Marauders.' Harry made sure to include this in his letter to Prof. Lupin.)
Giving in to the inevitable, Madam Pomfrey let them use one of the visitors' rooms for their Prowlery sessions.
"What visitors?" Harry asked.
"They're for the families of really sick students," Ron explained. "Mum and Bill stayed here last year, after, you know."
"The Third Task," Harry said. Kill the spare flashed through his mind, but he shoved it out. "I don't think I ever thanked your mum and Bill for coming for that," he added suddenly.
"You didn't have too," Ron said. "Mum knew you needed her, so she came. Bill came along and got a job offer out of it, so he's paid off, too."
Harry raised an inky eyebrow. "Dumbledore knew even then that he'd need a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?"
"Well, Moody said he was only going to be here for one year," Hermione pointed out. "Now, stop messing around, we have O.W.L.s to conquer."
It was easier, somehow, to study for the O.W.L.s when there were so many other people sitting around doing the same thing. Every problem somebody ran across, somebody else had either solved or was in the process of solving. After a while, it just seemed natural for the Ravenclaws to explain Arithmancy to the Gryffindors, or for the Gryffindors to demonstrate shielding charms to the Hufflepuffs, or for the Hufflepuffs show the Ravenclaws the difference between Muggle snapdragons and wizarding snapdragons.
Even the teachers started dropping by. Bill Weasley was the first. "I'd been looking forward to having you in my class, Potter," he said. "You're not getting away from me that easily! You can learn how to break curses in here as easily as in the classroom." He looked around at the piles of books. "Maybe easier."
Hagrid came by with cages of animals for Harry to look at. Madam Pomfrey objected, but the first animal Hagrid brought by was Hedwig. "She's bin worryin' abou' him," Hagrid explained. "You don' wan' her ter get sick, do yeh?"
Poppy Pomfrey had become a nurse because she had a tender heart. She took one look at the obviously unhappy owl and couldn't deny her visitation rights.
She soon came to regret that as Hagrid started holding his fifth-year classes in the Prowlery.
"It's easier than havin' ter teach the class twice," Hagrid pointed out. "Besides, I'm keeping the kids from gettin' sick by not havin' 'em wander around in th' rain."
Madam Pomfrey knew there had to be a logical counter to this. However, Professor Sprout decided that this was a good idea and asked if she could hold Harry's Herbology class in the Prowlery, too. "It'll be easier on everybody if Potter can keep up," she said. The addition of the plants made studying for the Herbology O.W.L. a lot easier. The Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff Fifth-years had started congratulating Harry on his new O.W.L. strategy. Being sick and famous had its advantages.
Madam Pomfrey still argued against bringing animals to the Hospital Wing. However, when Dumbledore asked her to indulge Hagrid, the nurse knew she had no choice but to give in. She did insist that a House-elf be on hand full time to clean up any unfortunate messes.
Dobby was ecstatic at the assignment. He loved being near Harry and the Hospital Wing always sparkled. Except for the occasional bit of… fertilizer… that seemed to wind up on the floor just under Malfoy's expensive shoes.
Madam Pomfrey, on the other hand, grew increasingly unhappy by with increasingly scary animals. The Hoopsnake wasn't too bad, in fact, it was rather amusing to see it turn into a hoop and roll around the room.
The three-headed Runespoor was fascinating. Harry's translation of the constant quarrel between the three heads had the class in stitches. Even Malfoy cracked a smile in spite of his best efforts.
The furry Snow Snake was too aggressive for Pomfrey's taste. It tried to bite Lavender. Lavender shrieked and whacked it with her textbook. That taught the Snow Snake not to be so blatantly anti-social. It also taught Hagrid not to put Lavender so close to the snakes.
"Not to worry, ain't poisonous," Hagrid assured them.
The feathered Quetzalcoatl snake made Pomfrey nervous when it demonstrated that it only stayed in the cage because she currently felt like cooperating. Fortunately, Harry was able to convince it that a castle full of children wasn't safe to wander around in.
"Have you ever noticed how the lessons are all geared to old snake mouth, here?" Malfoy sneered during one lesson.
"I'm choosin' animals that're small enough an' clean enough to bring inter the Hospital Wing," Hagrid growled. "If yeh want a bigger critter, I'll be happy ter let you go down an' feed th' Hippogriffs while we study snakes." The giant's beetle black eyes narrowed "They's 'specially fond o' ferret."
That shut Malfoy up, at least, when Hagrid was around.
Harry couldn't deny that the parade of snakes was fascinating, though. Talking to them when the other students were in class helped keep him from getting too depressed about being in the Hospital Wing.
The baby Bookwyrm challenged the Care of Magical Animals class to an intellectual duel. Which had the Prowlers digging into the O.W.L. preparation books that were piled up in the PROWLery.
The Prowlers, in turn, challenged the Bookwyrm to try its luck with one of the OWL preparation exams. The Bookwrym wasn't able to pass, either. However, the excursion into O.W.L. preparation territory got some of the fifth-year Slytherins interested in joining the revision sessions.
"That's disgusting," Pansy Parkinson snarled after one lesson with the Gryffindors. "Associating with Mudbloods!"
"If you think that you can pass the O.W.L.s all by yourself, be my guest," Blaise Zabini replied.
The last snake was the last straw. At first it had looked like a normal, Muggle snake with an interesting pattern of brown and gold scales. The basic body color was gold, A series of brown and green irregular diamond shapes covered the back. It looked rather like a gold snake covered with a brown net.
"Is that's what they call a 'reticulated' pattern, Hagrid?" Hermione asked. She stooped to get a closer look at the snake. "It's not a Reticulated Python, is it?"
The snake reared up, spread out bat-like wings and spat fire at Hermione.
Granted, the flame was only a flicker, no bigger than a spark of static electricity. However, it made Hermione jump back and made Lavender, Parvati and Pansy shriek in surprise. Pansy took a step back. Parvati stayed where she was. Lavender took a step forward and raised her book again.
"Easy, now," Hagrid said soothingly, both to Lavender and the snake. "This here is a Wyvern. It c'n be pretty fierce, but this'un's been raised aroun' people. It's real gentle like, when it ain't bein' startled."
Madam Pomfrey was fit to be tied. "Hagrid! Fire-breathing dragons are right out!"
"It's no' a dragon, it's a winged snake," Hagrid protested mildly.
"I don't care! It's going out and so are YOU! No more snakes! No more interestin' critters! All you are permitted to bring in here are books! And none of those biting books, either!"
Hagrid sighed. The Monster Book of Monsters was a thing of the past, anyway. Having no choice, Hagrid assigned some written work. "I wan' you ter draw pictures to show the diff'nce between wizarding animals and Muggle ones. Fer instance, the diff'rnce betw'n a cat an' a Kneazle or a dog and a krup or a werewolf an' a reg'lar wolf. Yeh'll be needin' ter tell the diff'nce."
"Notice how his assignment requires very little reading on his part?" Malfoy sneered.
"'Cept for Mr. Malfoy, o'course," Hagrid added. "He's ter write four feet on how ter speak respectfully ter critters what c'n understand when they're bein' insulted." He shot Malfoy a glare. "Like Hippogriffs and perfessers and th' like."
The Gryffindors felt highly vindicated after that and Malfoy went around looking like he'd bitten into one of Bertie Bott's more disgusting flavours.
After class, Hagrid also had a long talk with Professor Sprout. So Pomfrey knew who to blame when the dumpy little witch came in for the Herbology lesson bringing a flat of roaring Dandy Lions and hissing Snap Dragons.
It took Dumbledore two hours to convince Madam Pomfrey to put Hagrid's vocal cords back into his throat.
The First Animagus Test:
McGonagall didn't help settle Pomfrey's stomach any. One day towards the end of September, she came by after regular visiting hours with Ron in tow.
"It's for their detention," McGonagall told Madam Pomfrey before the matron could complain.
If Madam Pomfrey had any questions about how Harry had managed to get detention when he'd spent the entire term to date in the Hospital Wing, she didn't voice them. After all, Potter and Weasley were well known for the talent for trouble.
"How long will this detention take?" she asked.
"As long as it takes to teach them a lesson," McGonagall said. She didn't explain that the lesson was Animagus Transfiguration, though.
Madam Pomfrey left them alone, muttering about how the Hospital Wing was supposed to be her domain, not Potter's. McGonagall turned to Harry and Ron with a thin smile. "Now, gentlemen, since you're so eager to become Animagi, I have a short test to see if you really understand what you're getting yourselves into.
Thirty minutes into the two hour test, Harry and Ron found themselves longing for the nice, relatively easy Transfiguration PROWL.
Hermione Turns Sixteen:
They held Hermione's birthday party in the Prowlery.
"Oh, honestly, Headmaster! They'll disturb my patients!"
"It seems to me as though most of the patients were on the guest list," Dumbledore replied with as straight a face as he could manage. He forbore to mention that there were only two patients at the time, Harry and Neville (who had managed to blow up a cauldron during his last Potions class.) The rest of the party consisted of all the Weasleys currently at Hogwarts, including Bill.
The party was rather subdued, especially compared to Harry's. Everybody spoke in quiet voices ad they ate cakes and drank pumpkin juice and watched Hermione open her presents.
Neville gave her some chocolate frogs. "Never know when they'll come in handy," he said with a grin.
"Maybe we should try that engorgement charm on them," Fred suggested. "That'll be enough chocolate to last for a while."
"I wouldn't," Harry warned. "That took way too much energy out of me." He shook his head. "And I only stopped three of my attackers. Not a good return for my investment."
Hermione quickly opened her next package to change the subject. Her parents sent her a camera. "Please take lots of pictures!" she read from the enclosed note. She made sure to take pictures of her party guests.
Ginny made another Knitten Kitten for her. This one was blue and gold.
"We need another name besides Mitten, for it," Harry said. "Something that rhymes with 'Knitten.'"
"And it must be fittin'," Ron added.
"I'll call it Britain," Hermione said.
"No fair, you used that rhyme last time," Ginny said. "Don't tell me you're quittin'!"
"Well, it's not like there are any rules against using the same rhyme," Hermione said. "At least, there aren't any written."
Everybody sniggered.
"I don't have anything for you," Harry said. "I haven't had time to get you anything…" He gave her a sly look. "… appropriate."
The Weasley twins grinned like maniacs. Hermione looked nervous. Bill raised an eyebrow, but nobody saw fit to enlighten him about how Hermione's fountain puzzle had soaked poor, sick Harry.
Bill resolved to get the information out of the twins later.
"I have something appropriate for you," Ron said. He handed her a package that felt like a book.
Hermione opened it and found it was a book. "Flower poems? How sweet, thank you, Ron!"
Harry and the twins made kissy noises.
"Open it and read one of the poems," Ron urged.
Hermione did. No sooner had she finished when a miniature garden sprang into existence.
"Oh! How wonderful!" Hermione jumped up and planted a kiss on Ron's cheek. "Thank you!"
The twins made gagging noises. Ginny shook her head and looked at Harry, only to find that Harry was looking at her. Reacting naturally, she turned brick red.
Fortunately, the twins were much too busy teasing Ron to notice this.
"I don't think this gift can quite match up, but you might find it interesting," Bill said, handing Hermione a package. "I gave one like it to Ginny a few years ago."
Hermione unwrapped it to find, Curses Foiled Again: A Guide to Passing the Defense Against Dark Arts O.W.L."
"I like that one," Ginny said demurely. "It is really quite helpful."
Hermione's eyebrows raised. "Is this how you passed that PROWL?"
Ginny grinned at her.
"Then I think it's time to get back to work," Hermione said. "I think we should revise for our Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L., since we have so many experts on hand."
"Hermione! It's your birthday!" Ron exclaimed. "You're supposed to be enjoying yourself!"
Hermione grinned at him. "I am."
"You are completely mental, you know that?" Ron protested.
The party broke up then as the twins beat a retreat in the face of the oncoming battle. Bill stayed on, having never seen a Ron and Hermione battle in person. Harry showed Neville the proper way to hide under the covers.
"Of course, it helps to have a Knitten Kitten for a guard," he said. He put Mitten on his pillow.
"I'd rather have a Knitten Toad," Neville confessed. "Hey, Ginny, can you knit a toad? I'll buy the yarn for you on the next Hogsmeade visit."
"Of course," Ginny said, not realizing she was taking her first step to her very own cottage industry. "I think I could probably knit you a toad."
Team Meeting:
The only topic that was discussed more often that the O.W.L.s was Quidditch. Harry's new subscription to Quidditch Weekly started coming, and copies of Which Broomstick and Quidditch Life started turning up all over the Prowlery like mushrooms springing up after a heavy rain.
The Gryffindor Quidditch Team met during dinner, when most of the students were at dinner. Angelina politely asked Hermione and Ginny to come back in half an hour. Fred and George hustled Ron out amidst considerable clamor. Once they were outside, there was a loud bang and then Fred and George came back into the Hospital Wing.
Fred now had purple hair.
Nobody asked.
Hermione and Ginny took their leave and were rather surprised to find that Ron had blue hands (as opposed to purple hair.)
"Don't ask," Ron advised.
They didn't.
They headed off to dinner, although Ron gave a single, wistful look back at the Hospital Wing door. He'd have given a lot to know what was going on back there.
Inside, Harry was flanked on the left by the twins, on the right by Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell. Angelina paced nervously at the foot of his bed. Ginny's cat, Pixie decided to crawl into his lap and she purred triumphantly through the meeting.
"So, who's our new captain?" Harry asked.
"That's one thing we're here to decide," Angelina said. "So, how should we go about this?"
There were several moments of silence before Fred spoke up. "How about we try the easy way?" he said. "All those who want to be captain, raise your hand."
Another few moments of silence. Then Angelina timidly put up her hand.
She looked around. No other hands were raised. Alicia and Katie were grinning at her. George was grinning at his twin. Fred was looking at the ceiling. Harry had apparently been swallowed by his bed because all there was to be seen was a Harry-sized lump under his blankets.
"No one else?" she said hesitantly. "I mean, you don't think it's a bit much for me to be Head Girl AND Quidditch Captain?"
Harry's face reappeared. "You're Head Girl?" he asked. "Cool. Congratulations, Captain."
Now everyone but Fred was grinning broadly. At first Angelina thought he was opposed to her being captain, but then she remembered that he had been urging her to try out for it. He was also the one who suggested this method of choosing a captain.
"Looks unanimous to me," Katie laughed. "Way to go, Angelina!"
"So, how about try-outs?" George said. "We need a new Keeper."
"Really? I thought we'd just have Potter catch the Snitch in the first five minutes and save us the bother of having to train somebody up," Angelina said dryly.
"There, give the girl power and it goes straight to her tongue," George joked.
Harry took a deep breath. There was nothing for it but to just ask. "Do you still want me on as Seeker?" he asked.
The others stared at him, aghast.
"Why would we want to get rid of our winning Seeker?" Alicia demanded.
"You still want to play, don't you?" Angelina asked in panicky tones.
"Cedric died because he was around me when I was attacked," Harry pointed out flatly. "If I'm on the team, you'll be around me a lot. You could get hurt."
"You know what your problem is, Potter?" George asked.
"You mean, besides being undersized, underfed, moody, stubborn and highly attractive to homicidal maniacs?"
"Erm, actually, that about covers it," George said, scratching his head.
Alicia poked him. "No, your problem is you blame yourself for things that aren't your fault!"
"Seriously, Harry, it is not your fault that Cedric died," Angelina said.
"How do you know that?" Harry challenged.
"Because Dumbledore said that You-Know-Who killed Cedric. There are three certainties in the wizarding world, Harry," Angelina said. She held up her hand and ticked them off her fingers. "Death, taxes and The-Boy-Who-Lived doesn't work for You-Know-Who."
"Dumbledore isn't perfect," Harry said.
"No, but he does know what happened, doesn't he?" George asked.
Harry nodded.
"And, after learning what happened, he didn't blame you, did he?" George persisted.
Harry managed a smile as he shook his head.
"Case closed," George said. He shot his twin a curious look. It wasn't like Fred to keep his mouth shut for so long. However, Fred was looking out the window as if uninterested in the proceedings.
"Okay, so we still only need one new player," Angelina said. "Tryouts are tomorrow. Think you can make it, Harry?"
Harry shook his head. "I'll have to watch from here." He picked his mother's spyglass off the bedside table. "I can see around corners and through walls with this. I can see the Quidditch Pitch fine from here."
"Wow, cool," Katie said. "Where did you get that?"
"I found it in a trunk of my mum's," Harry said.
"Think of the possibilities," George grinned.
Alicia growled and slugged his arm.
"If you try to peek into the dormitories, you'll be temporarily blinded," Harry said. He actually didn't know what would happen, but that sounded like a reasonable explanation for the warning label. He showed them the engraved warning. "Lily from Berry. Warning, do not use this to peek into the boys' dormitory!"
"Good," Alicia said. "I'd hate to have to keep worrying about that!" She gave the three boys a threatening look.
George tried to look innocent. Harry, who was actually innocent of such thoughts, looked guilty. Fred was clearly not paying attention.
"We also need some reserves," Angelina said. "We five will
be gone next year, and it's a bit much to expect Captain Harry and his Keeper
to train five recruits from scratch. We need to start this year."
"I agree," Harry said. "But I expect that next year it will be Captain Ron and his Seeker."
"You think Ron will make the team?" George said in pleased tones.
"He loves Quidditch," Harry pointed out. "He's good at it, too. I wouldn't want to be the one who competed against him for that Keeper spot."
"Well, Kathleen Murray won't be so easily intimidated," Angelina said. At Harry's blank look, she elaborated. "Kathleen is a sixth year. She eats, sleeps and breathes Quidditch."
"Oh," Harry said.
"We'll need to get some of the younger students interested," George pointed out. "Murray will be gone the year after us. If she makes the team, that will leave another blank for the Keeper/Seeker/Captain to fill next year."
"Good point, any suggestions?" Angelina asked.
"Joe Rolling might be interested," Alicia said. "He's in Ginny's year, isn't he?"
Katie nodded. "Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas have been talking about becoming Beaters," she added.
"Ginny will probably go for reserve Seeker," George said, after a few minutes. He gave Harry a sideways look. "On the other hand, she might go for the reserve Chaser. She's very good at chasing."
Harry felt himself go red and he tried to pretend that he thought that George was referring Quidditch. "She can use my Firebolt," he said. "Whoever becomes our reserve Seeker can," he added hastily. "After all, if the reserve is in the game, then I'm obviously not going to need it, right?"
Nobody had any comments, although there were a few suppressed sniggers.
"Well, I guess we'll see who comes out for the try-outs," Angelina said. "Okay, then, meeting adjourned."
The rest of the team filed out, but Angelina lingered to talk to Harry. "How are you feeling?" she asked.
"Restless," Harry responded. "I don't think I need to be here, but Madam Pomfrey insists on keeping me until Monday."
"I can hold the trials next week, if you want," Angelina said.
Harry shook his head. "I can't be sure I'll be out then, either. Better hold them tomorrow so you can start training the reserve Seeker right away."
"Right," she hesitated.
"What's wrong?" Harry asked.
"Harry, did Fred talk to you?" Angelina asked. "I mean, about me being captain. He didn't, erm, talk you out of wanting the position, did he?"
Harry shook his head. "I haven't seen much of him," he said. "I really don't want the job. I have enough to worry about." He paused. "Besides, I don't know anything about Quidditch strategy. All I know is 'Find Snitch. Catch Snitch.'"
"I hope there's a clause in there about avoiding Bludgers," Angelina said, knowing full well that Harry had been known to talk Quidditch strategy until he was hoarse. She couldn't quite believe that he didn't want the job, and she was grateful for his gallantry.
"Is something else wrong?" Harry asked.
"I don't know," Angelina sighed. "Fred hasn't been talking to me much lately."
Harry frowned.
"I mean, he hasn't been rude or avoiding me, he just hasn't been himself," Angelina shook her head.
"I don't know what to say," Harry said. "I think he might feel shy around you because you're Head Girl. Maybe he thinks he isn't good enough for you."
Angelina sighed. "Or maybe he thinks that I'm the enemy," she said. "He didn't seem to have a problem with me being a prefect."
"Maybe it's the Weasleys' Wheezes he's worried about," Harry said.
"You think he and George can make a go of their own business?" Angelina said.
"I wouldn't be against a Weasley with his mind made up," Harry said. "Maybe you should try asking Ginny. She knows the twins better than I do. She could probably give you some hints as to what's bothering Fred."
"Maybe. Thanks, Harry," Angelina said. She stood up. "I know this is none of my business, but, well, are you and Ginny, you know, an item?"
Harry shook his head. "I don't know. I can't quite work out what's going on."
"Maybe talking would help?" Angelina suggested.
"Yeah, but talking about it seems so… cold somehow," Harry sighed in frustration.
"I see," Angelina said. "Well, let me know if you want to talk, Harry. I've always got time to listen." She smiled. "Remember, that's part of my Head Girl duties."
"Yeah, sure, thanks Angelina," Harry watched her leave and wondered when she'd become so nice. Or had she always been that nice and he just never noticed?
Victory!
Ron burst into the Hospital Wing, beaming and sweaty. "I did it!" he bellowed.
"Mr. Weasley!" Madam Pomfrey said sternly. "This is a hospital! Control yourself or I shall have you removed!" She huffed out of the room.
"She makes that sound so final," Ron said cheerfully.
"She could probably do it, too," Harry said. "I can just see her talking the castle into twisting around so that you never find your way back here."
"Ooo, sounds like a good plot for a mystery novel," Ron said.
"You read mystery novels?" Harry asked.
"You should have seen me out there," Ron said, ignoring Harry's question. He flung himself on a chair.
Harry held up Lily's spyglass. "I did. You were brilliant! I particularly liked the expression on Hermione's face that time when you hung by one knee! I wish this thing recorded like the Omnioculars." He thought Ginny had been brilliant, too. He didn't feel like saying so to Ron, however.
Ron grinned. "I'd almost forgotten about that!" he said. "Your mum's spyglass is certainly useful. Can you see where Hermione is now?" He didn't wait for an answer. "Dennis Creevy got a picture of her face when I made that save," he said, prattling on almost as fast as a Creevy. "Colin was busy taking my picture. You know, I used to think those two were a bit useless, but they kind of grow on you. They got some excellent pictures of Ginny on your Firebolt. She made the reserves. Angelina said that we should try to field an entire reserve team, but all we have are two and a half reserve Chasers."
Harry blinked. He wasn't sure he wanted to know how they could have half of a reserve Chaser. The wizarding world had a tendency to be very literal about these things and the mental image wasn't doing his breakfast any good.
Ron must have been able to tell what he was thinking. "I mean, we have two reserve Chasers, Joe Rolling and Kathleen Murray and Ginny, who is both reserve Seeker and reserve Chaser. We need one more reserve Chaser and a reserve Keeper to make a full reserve team."
"Not a different reserve Seeker?" Harry asked.
"Nah, Ginny's too good as a Seeker," Ron said. "She'll probably be as good as Charlie. It will be easier to find another Chaser. At least, it should be easier to find another Chaser." Ron shook his head. "I'm worried about the future of Quidditch in Gryffindor," he said gloomily.
"Well, look on the bright side," Harry said. "You won't lack material for Divination for a while. You can make up all sorts of predictions about the future of Gryffindor Quidditch, not to mention all the horrible ways you could get maimed while playing Keeper."
Ron grinned. "Good point," he said. He picked up a copy of Which Broomstick from the pile on Harry's bed and started leafing through it. "The rest of the team should be here soon," Ron said. "I just wanted to be the first to tell you."
"So, who are the reserve Beaters?"
"Seamus and Dean, they work together almost as well as Fred and George, who are practically one person," Ron said. "Now, all I need is a good broom," he added. He threw down his copy of Which Broomstick and rooted around for the most recent copy. "Maybe I can find a decent used one. I'd really like a Cleansweep 9 or a Flying Tiger, but that's just not in my budget."
"A Flying Tiger?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, it's an American broom," Ron said. "Mostly the Weber company puts out racing brooms like the Cloud Leopard or the Winged Jaguar. Their Flying Tiger has speed and maneuverability. It's made from a rare sort of wood called tiger maple. It's good for making brooms with because it hold enchantments so well." He sighed.
Harry fingered a copy of Quidditch Today. "You know, if you want, I could…"
"No," Ron said coldly. "I don't want you to pay for my broomstick. I'm not a beggar."
"I never meant…"
"And don't think you can 'donate' one to me anonymously. I'm not as naïve as my sister, nor am I as desperate as the twins."
"How? I mean, what makes you think that I gave…"
"How thick do you think I am?" Ron demanded without giving Harry a chance to finish. "Somewhere between Hogwarts and The Burrow, the twins get their hands on a thousand Galleons. The exact amount that you won in the Tri-Wizard Tournament. So, tell me, if you didn't give it to the twins, what did you do with it? You haven't been to Gringott's in over a year and you don't have it in either of your trunks. Remember I saw the inside of both of them over the summer."
"I just wanted…"
"Shut up," Ron stood up abruptly and strode out of the Hospital Wing.
Harry stared at the door.
"He'll cool off."
Harry almost jumped out of his skin when Bill spoke.
"Bill, I mean, Professor Weasley. I didn't know you were here," Harry said.
"I was looking for Ron to congratulate him on making the team," Bill said. "You don't have to buy his friendship, you know."
Harry felt like being sick. "You… do you really think I'm trying to…? I'm not! I just…" Harry bit his lip.
Bill was already regretting his words. "Harry, it's all right. No, I don't think you're trying to buy Ron's friendship. But you don't have to throw your money around like that."
"But what else can I do?" Harry asked. "I just want to show him how much he means to me." He dropped his head. "How much you all mean to me."
Bill studied the teen. He remembered the day that Voldemort had been defeated, the day the Potters had died. He'd grown up being grateful to The-Boy-Who-Lived. It was rather disconcerting that this near-mythic figure was so overwhelmingly grateful to his own family simply because they'd been kind to him. "Is that why you gave the twins the prize money from the Tri-Wizard Tournament?" he said after a few minutes.
Harry winced. "Oh, you heard that, did you?"
"Actually, I heard it first from Mad-Eye Moody," Bill said. "The Order was rather concerned about where that money had come from. Mad-Eye wanted to make sure that it hadn't come from some dark wizard or other who wanted to get part of the Weasley family in his debt."
"Oh." Harry turned a sort of sickly green colour. "I hadn't thought of that. Your father's not in trouble, is he?"
"No, nobody's in trouble," Bill said. "However, you have to take things like that into consideration. There are too many people, most notably Lucius Malfoy, who can use that sort of unexplained windfall against my father. As for me, I was just curious as to why you'd give them so much money."
"Erm, I thought it was a good idea," Harry said. He sighed. "After all I went through that night, I thought the money should be used for something… something that would make people laugh. I'd had enough of tears just then."
There were several minutes of silence after that. "I see," Bill said. "Harry, my family likes you, not your money. You don't need to spend your money on us."
"Your mum and dad have always treated me like one of their own."
"You poor sod," Bill said lightly.
Harry glared. "Don't say that! Don't you ever say anything like that about your parents! You don't realize how damned lucky you are to have parents who love you!"
Bill stiffened. He hadn't thought about how much his parents loved him, not recently. "I do realize," he said quietly. "Sometimes I forget, but I do realize how lucky I am to have my parents." He sat down on the edge of Harry's bed. "Harry, I think I understand how you feel. However, you are going about this the wrong way. Let me explain to you how you are going to diplomatically patch things up with Ron and still get him that broom."
Diplomacy a la William Weasley:
Harry glared at the Fat Lady.
"I'm sorry, dear, but without the password, I can't let you in."
An obstacle he hadn't considered. He hadn't been to Gryffindor Tower since he'd arrived, so of course he didn't know this year's password.
Just then, the door swung open and Seamus and Dean started to climb out, only to stop when they saw Harry.
"Harry! What are you doing here?" Seamus exclaimed.
"We were just going to see you," Dean said. "We made the reserve team!"
"Congratulations! I'm looking for Ron," Harry said. He climbed inside. "Where is he?"
"Over there," Dean said. "Have you two been rowing?"
"No," Harry said. "We are going to settle this with calm, rational diplomacy."
"Should we take cover, then?" Seamus asked, eyes sparkling.
"Yes."
Ron was in a corner, talking to an annoyed looking Ginny and Hermione. Rather, he was listening to them scold him.
"Honestly, Ron. If you think I'm going to put up with another argument like last year's, you have another think coming. You march right up there and apologize. You know he's generous with his money, there's no need to get angry. I'm sure a simple 'no, thank you' would have been sufficient!"
"Why would you want to hurt him just because he wants to give you a broom?" Ginny asked. "You should learn how to accept gifts graciously."
"WEASLEY!" Harry bellowed. He stalked across the Common Room.
The trio whirled to face him. So did Fred and George, since it had been their name bellowed. In fact, everybody in Gryffindor Tower, including the portraits, several cats, somebody's Puffskein and Trevor, gave him their full attention from whatever piece of furniture they had ducked behind. Only the Weasleys, Hermione, Angelina and Prof. McGonagall were still on their feet.
"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed. "You're not supposed to be out of the Hospital Wing! Madam Pomfrey will go spare!"
"She'll have to stand in line," Harry snarled. His green eyes snapped in anger.
Ron gaped at him.
Harry wasn't sure if it was because he was out of bed, because he was yelling himself red in the face, because he was dressed in the God-Awful-Mutant-Peacock robes that the twins had given him for his birthday, or because he was brandishing a copy of Which Broomstick in one hand and a bedpan in the other.
He concluded later that it was probably a combination of all those things.
"Listen, Weasley, you need a broom. Gryffindor is not going to win the Quidditch Cup if you have to fly some broken down excuse of a Comet! This is not charity! This is Quidditch! Do you understand me?! For Quidditch and glory and the thrill of kicking Slytherin House in the Bludgers and ruining Snape's whole year! You ARE getting a decent broom if I have to buy it for you and permanently attach it to your family jewels!" He flourished the magazine as if he were planning on beating Ron around the head and shoulders with it.
Everyone was gaping at him now, except the twins, who were literally rolling on the floor, and Angelina, who had tears streaming from her eyes. She was still upright, but only because she was leaning on McGonagall's shoulder.
"However, since this is for GRYFFINDOR PRIDE, I'm going to graciously allow all of our fellow Gryffindors to contribute to this worthy cause. Now, pick out which bloody broom you want and fill out the order form while I scrape up the money!" Harry ordered.
Still in shock, Ron took the magazine. Hermione, naturally, had quill and ink at hand. As he couldn't find his voice, Ron meekly began filling out the form.
Harry went over to the twins. "I take it you two wish to see your names on another Quidditch Cup?" he demanded, holding out the bedpan.
Taking the hint, the twins dug into their pocket and dropped money into the proffered collection bowl. Hermione threw in some, then Neville added some money. Suddenly, there was a rain of Knuts, Sickles and even Galleons. Harry threw in some of the money that he'd found in his trunk. (Mrs. Weasley had done all of his Diagon Alley errands for him and had made sure to get him enough money to get through the school year.) Then he turned to cadge some money from Angelina.
That's when he realized who his captain was leaning on. Harry stared blankly at her for a few moments. McGonagall rarely came into the common room.
"Oh. Erm. Professor McGonagall," Harry said. "Ahhhh… hi. Erm, what brings you here?" He winced at his own words.
McGonagall's mouth was in a thin line. Harry flinched when he remembered the last time she'd looked so angry. That had cost Gryffindor one hundred and fifty house points. "Potter." She looked at the bedpan and her lips got so thin that it looked like she had no lips. "This is highly inappropriate," she said tightly. "You will sanitize that money before you send it anywhere."
"Yes, Professor," Harry said in a subdued voice.
"When Madam Pomfrey releases you from the Hospital Wing, you will report to me for detention."
"Yes, Professor," Harry said.
"It's not just Mr. Ron Weasley that needs a decent broom, you know," McGonagall went on. "Miss Weasley needs one."
"She'd be using my Firebolt in a game," Harry said.
"Not if she's playing as Chaser," McGonagall pointed out. "Further more, Miss Murray also needs a new broom." She looked at the bedpan. "Have all three of them pick out brooms. If you don't have enough there, then I'll make up the difference."
"Yes, Professor," Harry managed to squeak out.
"And get back to the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey is likely to put a full body bind on you if she realizes you've been running around the castle dressed in that fashion disaster."
"Yes, Professor," Harry said, having decided this was the only safe answer.
"And one last thing, Potter," McGonagall said sternly.
"Yes, Professor?" Harry asked.
"Take ten points for your inspiring display of team spirit." McGonagall retreated from Gryffindor Tower. The sharp-eared among them swore later that she'd sniggered after she left, but who would believe that?
"Oh, that was incredibly stupid, in an entirely brilliant way," Ron said, laughing and wiping his eyes. "I hope you got pictures of that, Colin."
"Of course," Colin said in an offended tone.
"What was McGonagall doing in here?" Harry said in a strangled voice.
"We've got to get some money from Bill," George said, ignoring Harry.
"Already done," Harry said, rattling the bedpan.
"Bill talked to you about this?" Hermione asked, scandalized that a Hogwarts professor could be so nonchalant about rule-breaking. Of course, Harry had that effect on people, she realized. After all, she'd been thoroughly rule-abiding once, at some really early stage of her life.
"Whose idea do you think it was for me to barge in here like this?" Harry asked.
Angelina finally fell over laughing.
"What?" Harry and a few other demanded.
"McGonagall came in because Professor Weasley called her through the fireplace and suggested that she find out if all the new members of the Quidditch team had proper brooms," Angelina said from the floor.
Harry gaped. "He set me up! I don't believe it!"
"He's a Weasley," George, Fred and Ron chorused.
"I wish I knew how he got you in those robes, though," Ron sniggered.
"The robes were my idea," Harry sighed. "None of my Hogwarts robes fit properly."
"I thought Mum got you new robes when we bought your books." Ginny asked.
"Yeah, but they're too short," Harry said.
"You can get them fixed on the first Hogsmeade trip," Hermione said. She patted him on the shoulder. Then she sent the Fire-starting Glare of Extreme Huffiness around the room. "Excuse me, we're collecting for three broomsticks now, and I don't mean the pub in Hogsmeade!"
No fires started. However, there was a rush to add more money to the pot.
"There should be some sort of systematic way of collecting money to make sure that the House Team is properly equipped," Hermione said thoughtfully. "Maybe some sort of Alumni fund-raising."
"You think of everything, don't you?" Neville said admiringly.
"No, but I try," Hermione said with a flattered smile.
Ron looked murderous, so Harry decided to change the subject. "By the way, what's the password? I wouldn't have been able to get in if Dean and Seamus hadn't opened the portrait hole when they had."
Hermione grinned smugly. "It's Wonky Faint," she said.
Harry gaped. "And I wasn't here to see Ron's reaction!" he mourned.
"Don't worry, I got a picture!" Colin crowed.
***
Author's Notes:
Hoopsnake is from the old superstition that snakes could grab their own tails and roll around like a hoop. The Runespoor is a three-headed snake from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. The Quetzacoatl snake is from Aztec mythology. I've seen different descriptions of Wyverns, and while most of them give them two legs, I've decided that for my purposes they're just winged snakes. The furry Snow Snakes are from Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and Grey Mouser series.
Joe Rolling should be obvious, especially if you say it out loud. Kathleen Murray was also named in honor of Joanne Kathleen Rowling Murray. Of whom you may have heard.
Cloud Leopard is from the animal, clouded leopards. Winged Jaguar is named in honor of the sports car. Flying Tigers is another name for the American Volunteer Group commanded by Claire Chennault. The AVG defended Burma and China with its shark-faced P-40 Tomahawks in the opening months of the Pacific War, from December 1941 to July 1942. For more information: .
Tiger maple is real. Every now and then the wood of a maple tree will have stripes. There's no way of telling before the tree is chopped down that the wood is striped like that. It was prized for making furniture at one time. Might still be, for all I know.
Weber Broom company. Hey, if I can't insert myself into my stories, then what's the point of even writing? ;-)
Review Responses will be in the last chapter, a few quick ones here.
THANK YOU FOR READING! DOUBLE THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING!
I know that chapter 21 has a considerably different tone than 20. It was originally intended to be a different story. Chapters 21 – 25 are basically a condensed version of "A Sirius Situation" only, without much Sirius in it. There were some things I wanted to get in before the official version. Enjoy!
