*Again, you don't know how much I live for reviews. I sound pathetic, I know, but you've all really heartened me! Thanks again to you all! -- What's next? Ha! Read on to find out, missy! And "that poor DADA teacher"? *grin* Read on, my dear.
Note:
* The girl is not a Mary Sue. She's not an exchange or even a new student. She's an old student just now brought to light, and Harry doesn't fall in love with her or even makes instant friends with her. In my version of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" she's not mentioned a fifth of the time Hermione does. So trust me and don't leave just because you see the words "didn't recognize her..."
* As for Hagrid's assistants, you'll see. Believe it or not, it all works into my plot. Very little of what Hermione writes does not later affect the plot in some way or another. Again, please trust me and read on!
* Shameless sponsor plug: My latest story, "Serendipity" isn't half as bad as the review. In fact, I thought it was just as good as this story. Lavender Ice, that's not really the one I mentioned uploading but it DOES tell what happened to Bella Hagley Figg from Sirius's point of view, and he was an eyewitness. I'll have "The Worst of Curses", the BHF story told from the POV of Linda Fairchild, up soon. It's coming along wonderfully well, I just haven't the time to type it!
Okay, enough blabbing! Onward! -----
August 31
I cannot believe Harry! Bill and I talked all last night trying to figure out what was up with our good mate John, and today Harry, who hasn't even mentioned him voluntarily, comes up with the best theory so far!
And… and… oh, goodness, I hate this Sara Blustovadk girl! ER!! Oh… I have to start at the beginning… but here goes:
It was this morning when Harry got a letter from Sirius. Sirius sent it before we sent the owl about John. Harry really wanted to tell us about whatever was in this letter and so we waited all morning to get a chance but couldn't, between everything we had to do and hiding from the Weasleys. I'm sorry, the Weasleys are still some of the most wonderful people I know, but ever since the Dark Side has come back, Rita Skeeter's stupid lies about me, and Sirius, we've really been on edge a lot, especially with Mrs. Weasley. But don't try telling Harry that if you value your life, of course!
So after we said goodbye to Mum and Dad and the Weasleys - not an easy thing, as our parents seemed scary silly - and we immediately tried to find an empty compartment. Not easy. As soon as we'd find one and Harry so much as glanced at the letter, another group of people would come in. I know Parvati says the three of us have got to stop hiding from everyone else, but, honestly, what else are we to do at times like this?
So finally, finally, finally we find an empty compartment. Only it isn't empty, at second glance. There's this girl about three-fourths back, with The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5, but she wasn't reading. She was staring out the window… but her eyes weren't daydreamish. They were sharply thoughtful, and I vaguely recognized her from my first year. A Ravenclaw, I think. She has light hair and light eyes, and for a moment I remembered John's words: "Light eyes". He referred to a person as them. But then, there are a lot of people in this world with light eyes.
Ron fumed silently under his breath for a moment and Harry, polite as he generally tries, at least, to be, couldn't help but look put out, and the girl glanced up and noticed and was just too apologetic - "Oh! I'm sorry - please excuse me - would you like to me leave - can you ever forgive me?"
Okay, I'm exaggerating. But I'm angry with her and need her to sound stupid a while to get a good laugh. Snicker, snicker. Okay, now I feel better.
What she really said was: "Oh, sorry - you wanted an empty compartment, didn't you?"
Harry and I nodded, rather vigorously.
"Certainly," the girl continued, carefully placing her book into a schoolbag as battered as Ron's, speaking all the while. "Er… you'd be Ron Weasley, right?"
"Er - yeah." Ron looked grateful; being recognized before Harry Potter.
"And you're Harry Potter, and you're Hermione Granger."
"How'd you know?" I demanded sharply. I just didn't like her. For one thing, she seemed to be reading our minds!
She suddenly reddened a bit, even if she's sunburned in the first place. "Er… I'm really sorry, but I couldn't help overhearing your conversations in Diagon Alley. I heard your first names, and the rest wasn't hard to figure out. And I remember you from a few years ago. What year are you in?"
Ron looked somewhat pleased at the attention, and it was he who replied: "Fifth."
She nodded. "You were in your second, then, when I left."
"What for?" I demanded.
She didn't meet my eye. "Family things," she said lightly. "I suppose we'll meet up later." She stood up to leave. "By the way, my name is -"
"Hey, Granger, what'd you think of the happenings this summer, eh?" sneered a familiar voice. Yep. Malfoy. He sauntered in with both Goyle but not Crabbe. "Poor old -" And then he spotted that girl and visibly paled. "Blustovadk?" he said, a little weakly. "You're…" he trailed off and regained his composure. "So," he sneered. "You're coming back to Hogwarts?"
"It certainly appears so," she replied calmly - coolly.
Malfoy looked torn between delight, disgust, and clear worry. "And just what House were you re-Sorted in?"
I swear I heard Blustovadk mutter: "None of your business, Malfoy," but all she said loud enough to be heard was: "Gryffindor."
Now Malfoy looked disgusted. "Figures, doesn't it?"
"What figures, Draco?"
Then Malfoy's eyes gleamed and he taunted: "Now, don't you mean 'young ma - '," but was cut off.
"I say what I mean, Draco!" said Blustovadk rather sharply, her friendly smile merely civil and cold now. "And it sure doesn't seem you're wanted here…" she calmed. "If you don't have anything nice to say, I suggest you go."
Was she an idiot or what? As if Malfoy would just leave because she "suggested" it?
"Hmm, looks like they made you prefect over the mighty Mudblood Granger," mused Malfoy. "They must have felt sorry for the nameless, friendless, penniless orphan."
I glanced at her. She was wearing a prefect badge. "Over me?"
You guessed it.
She was the female Gryffindor fifth-year prefect.
(By the way, Malfoy was made one, too. Is that not revolting?)
I'm prone to agree with him. What could this girl have done to be made prefect over me? It must just be because she's two years older. It must be. And I'm still seeing red. I glared at her furiously.
I don't think she saw. She was glaring at Malfoy. "I doubt it," she said, decidedly cold now. "Draco, please leave."
Malfoy smirked and motioned to Goyle, who stepped forward. They went closer to her, but she stood her ground and faced him calmly.
In a flash, Goyle took her to the ground in a movement and then kicked her very hardly in the shins. When Malfoy and Goyle cleared so I could see her, she was sprawled on the floor with her leg at a very unnatural angle, and she was tight-lipped and pale.
"Draco, go," she commanded quietly - and he went. That voice… Malfoy would do anything she said in that commanding, "I'm-not-playing-nice-anymore" tone.
He left and we went over to help her. She didn't look us in the eye a moment and winced as she put weight on her ankle. Harry helped her sit down on the seat.
"Okay…" she said after a long moment. "Okay. I'm fine. Thank you. I think I can make it to the door now."
"Oh, no you don't," said Harry and Ron together. She was busted up pretty badly.
"Not until Hermione finds a spell to heal that foot," Ron commanded.
I scowled. "Let the mighty prefect figure it out herself," I snarled.
She glanced away. "I was never much good at any healing methods in Defence Against the Dark Arts," she said. "In fact, I was never much good in that class, period. And healing broken bones isn't in a fourth-year's Charms curriculum."
I scowled again pointedly and healed it. Hadn't she read any of our books? And they made her prefect over me?
"Thanks," she sighed. "I'll leave you alone now. I'll see you later, I suppose, since I reckon we're classmates."
"Lucky us," I muttered, but Ron and even Harry, who looked strained and impatient, managed friendly goodbyes.
"Teach me that trick for ordering Malfoy about some time," Ron suggested cheerfully. "Please,…?" trailing off as he realized we didn't know her name.
"Sara. Sara Blustovadk, as I guess you figured out."
Blustovadk. Was I the only one who happened to recall that Blustovadk was a Ministry member who was a bachelor?
"Sort of," joked Harry. And then she finally left.
"Show us the letter," I ordered.
"You were awfully rude to her," Harry pointedly out distractedly as he rummaged for the letter.
"Aw, but Sara was just made a prefect, y'know," Ron teased. I'm sick of him teasing me!
"Here," said Harry quickly while I raised my wand to Ron, wondering which spell would be best to turn him violet.
Harry -
Very quickly, let me say that I do not want you to send me an owl unless it's an emergency for three weeks. Don't hesitate in an emergency, but otherwise, don't. A few bits of unpleasant work are coming up. Thank you, and remember to try and toe the safety line. Say hello to Ron and Hermione for me.
-- Snuffles
"What d'you think he's doing?" asked Ron excitedly.
Harry shrugged. "I don't reckon we're supposed to know. But I'm worried. What if he's not telling me something important? Everyone always tried to shield me. I just want to know if my godfather is doing something that puts him in fatal danger. Is that really too much to want to know?" He broke off suddenly, aware his temper was rising. "Sorry."
"It's okay," I said gently. "You're just strained. Listen, I think Sirius knows you aren't to be coddled any longer. I really do. Trust him for now and blast him later wh - if you find out he's hiding something."
Harry nodded numbly. "Yeah. Thanks. I suppose so. But any ideas? And what about when he gets my latest owl?"
"He'll know you didn't do it on purpose," Ron assured him. "And he might have a really good lead."
We started discussing possible theories as to where Sirius was and who John was. I pulled out my recordings for Bill, gathering all the evidence and conclusions about John. Our greatest theory to this point is that John was an innocent Muggle victim who was taken by You-Know-Who to help his side. We're just not sure what he's doing.
Ron and I were deep in conversation about this - with Ron being a general goof-off and saying little of help - while Harry was flipping through his schoolbooks. I barely noticed when he slipped An Advanced Guide to Transfiguration away and started skimming our Defence Against the Dark Arts book until he suddenly said: "What if John's a boggart?"
"What?" exclaimed Ron.
"I said -"
"I know what you said. And I think you've gone crackers."
"Thank you very much," Harry responded.
"Not a boggart, you idiot," I said, of course, fondly, "not a regular one. But you're right. A really, really powerful one, like a dominion, yes. I don't know why I didn't think of that!"
"A what?" asked Ron.
"Oh, that's what it's called," said Harry lazily.
"A dominion," I said.
"Oh," said Ron, trying to sound like he understood, but failed completely when he said: "And why was John the thing we were most scared of?"
I rolled my eyes in exasperation. "Listen," I said, remembering he hadn't cracked a book all summer and, unlike Harry, wasn't even flipping through them now. "A regular boggart isn't really powerful enough to really get up and show us the thing we're most scared of. Like that banshee of Parvati's. She isn't most scared of a banshee, for heavens' sakes, or else she's shallower than I thought. She's scared of what it represents. A thing she knows little of except frightening rumors, something she can't defend herself against, and, into the bargain, I'm sure she's terrified of being that ugly."
"What about my spider?" countered Ron. Honestly, he argues just for the sake of arguing!
"You're very scared of spiders in general, and you're experience with Ara-whatever didn't help matters. The bigger, the worse. It also represents your fear of Fred and George's pranks - like turning your," I giggled; Ron reddened, "teddy bear into a spider and whatnot. It also reminds you of the Forbidden Forest, which isn't high on your Likes List, and, into the bargain, it reminds you of the trouble you were in for smashing your dad's car into the Whomping Willow. You did say the car helped you out of that, right? It brings back memories of the whole affair."
"What about your McGonagall?" snickered Ron.
"Shut up," I retorted maturely.
"Or Harry's dementors? That's definitely what he's most scared of; no strings of 'represent' attached."
"Not really," interjected Harry shortly, looking pale. I'm not sure if he's lying or putting on a good front, and when I heard him mutter: "At least, not any more," it only complicated matters.
"Well, so we're all scared of John, then? A joint boggart?" Ron countered.
"A dominion," I responded in exasperation. "They're more powerful and it isn't as easy to scare them off just because there were more than one of us. They're strong enough to combine all our fears into something that represents them all and shows them all. Generally dominions don't fool around with representation. They go for the kill - hook, lock, and sinker. For example, if all of us hadn't been there, and it was just me…" I broke off. I didn't want to imagine my parents dead, lifeless… murdered. "It would have been different," I continued briskly. "But the Dominion had to focus on all of us… Harry, did I tell you you're a genius?"
"You just did, Professor Granger." He grinned slightly.
"Pardon me," I snapped.
"No, really," he said quickly to make amends. "I just felt like we were being lectured. Why don't you get the Defence post? You know all of it, you'd be excellent at it, and you know all about the 'triplets'' plan."
We laughed and discussed the Weasley triplets' plan. By the way, it's changed a bit. David Weasley is now a Hufflepuff, as Fred and George realized they have Defence with the Ravenclaws and couldn't have three at them there at the same time without Ployjuice Potion and a willing volunteer, and unless Lockhart has come back they can't fool anyone into thinking at least one Weasley "triplet" is ill or injured every Defence class! Fred said it's all for the best; Hufflepuffs are nearly as good as not as "stuffy". George is setting right to work telling the whole train so everyone knows not to let anything slip. He's spent all the last week making prank-artifacts to bribe Slytherins and "spoilsports" with - can you believe? He's really dedicated to this one, I tell you! I really feel a little sorry for whom-ever-it-is. If it works (s)he going to be really embarrassed. But, oh, well. Really, if they're stupid enough to fall for it, I suppose they deserve it. I would inform a teacher… but as I was not made a prefect, I suppose I just don't have to give that information out, right? Ha. Take that.
I owled Bill the idea as well. Soon and very soon, we'll find out if he and Charlie have any leads on that idea. Harry wants to owl Sirius saying John was only a dominion and not to worry, but, of course, Sirius told him not to. Harry is too worried about Sirius worrying. Am I the only one who sees a paradox here?
We'll be at Hogwarts soon now.
August 31, later
Ah.
So that's it.
When we got to Hogwarts McGonagall singled me and a few others, Harry included, as well as Ernie Macmillan, Lisa Turpin, and Chelsea Symthe. She took us to the same room she gave me my Time-Turner in and we saw it was now furnished with five writing desks and a reference center. I was so glad Ron was not there to tease me about that room.
She said that even though we had not been made prefects - "due to constraints on the number we can make" - she had something very important for us to do. Start a Correspondence Chain! And not just a Youth one - the actual chain!
Well, it's excellent news, of course, and such an honour, the last student to do it was a seventh-year Slytherin named Marlana Payne, but it's also sort of bad news. See, a Correspondence Chain only starts up when the Dark Side is in power. The Ministry isn't involved directly in this; it's Dumbledore's brainchild.
But we have to go to one meeting tomorrow, and I'm so excited - take that, Sara Blustovadk. You know, Malfoy's probably right; she was only made prefect because they felt sorry for her. When the Weasley twins first saw her, they exclaimed:
"You're back!"
"Aren't you the one to soak Lockhart with Tickling Water? That was splendid; never got a chance to tell you how much we admired that one!"
Honestly. She doused a teacher with Tickling Water and they made her a prefect? Well, they made James Potter Head Boy, which shows you some things are strange at this school, but, really!
Oh, and we saw the Defence teacher! I have to write quick because Parvati and Lavender and Sara are trying to sleep and Parvati's whining about my light, but her name is Professor Drothl. And she's… er… a tad high-strung. And strict. She's tall and thin, but she looks as if she could knock you out with a glare. When we left the Great Hall, Susan Bones tripped and skidded straight into the teacher's tables, and Drothl told her off and took a bunch of points from Hufflepuff in front of the entire Hall! Susan looked absolutely mortified. And then Natalie McDonald, Gretchen Henley, and Delia Thorton, Gryffindor second-years, were blocking her way as we were leaving and she gave them all detention. She's really, really strict, and, of course, Ron is having a field day picking on her. And her fashion sense. I admit, green is not exactly her colour. She's about in her sixties and has a sharp, rather mean face and eyes that would make Snape proud. Snape, of course, glared at her the whole time, as usual. He seemed to regard her capabilities on the same level as Lockhart, like she was just a mosquito to flick away, but she seemed completely oblivious to him. Fred, George, and "David", obviously, pray she really is as incompetent as Lockhart, as they can get away with so much more, but I rather hope she's a good teacher. Even with Lupin and "Moody" (cough!) we're not completely caught up. It's just impossible to fit four years into two, and I don't want to fall further behind. Especially with You-Know-Who around!
Parvati's practically screaming now. She's telling Sara that as prefect, she should stop me. Sara just said: "Being prefect doesn't mean I boss people around and Hermione's light isn't bothering you." Well, she's bothering me. She also reminds me of someone, but it's probably just Harry that put that in my head. We were on the train when he mused: "Does she remind you of someone?" Ron said he was paranoid form all assorted odd people we've met of late and I agree. But now his words are sticking in my head. Oh, she doesn't remind me of anyone, the little creep. Oh, it was really fun when Harry and George had to help her walk to the school because of her ankle. I couldn't heal it of course; I just cleaned it up. And Madam Pomfrey takes on look at her and says: "You're gone two years and you look like a corpse!" Sara nearly died of humiliation. I was rather glad.
Speaking of George, he and Fred traded places continuously tonight. George was going to sit at the Hufflepuff table but in the end Fred became "David" for a night. Fred, supposedly, wasn't feeling well as was in the hospital wing. I hope Drothl doesn't ask Madam Pomfrey about that. They're preparing the Polyjuice Potion now.
Tomorrow's classes and the Correspondence Chain, and come to think of it, I need some sleep!
September 1
Oh, heavenly, to be back at Hogwarts again. Especially since Crabbe and a few others aren't here. Ernie Macmillian said he almost didn't come this year because his parents think Dumbledore is mad. Seamus says his parents were of a worried mind as well, and then Lavender practically put her arms around him in front of everyone and said: "Oh, thank goodness you didn't leave!" Very amusing. But the empty seats of some of our classmates are reminders that they "times they are a-changin'". Pansy Parkinson's still here - but "Millie" isn't, thank heavens!
In Herbology we're studying bogdolearys. I know for a fact that they tried to bring bogdolearys to the first-years once and only once. Or, at least, I think it's a fact. It's a tale told by Sirius and Lupin, after all. But I'm really glad they made an exception for our class and brought them in last year a little early. They're fun, despite what Ron says!
In Care of Magical Creatures, however… Hagrid has two assistants with him. I'm actually a little glad, but, to be fair to Hagrid, he's getting better and better as time goes on. Towards the end of last year he began to find his groove, after Grubby-Plank brought in the unicorns, and I'm glad for him. But the thing is that Grubby-Plank obviously looks down on Hagrid and Hagrid obviously resents Grubby-Plank. Part of it is that if Hagrid has to do some more "errands" for Dumbledore or if he's arrested for not following the lousy Guidelines of Communication for Non-Humans, Grubby-Plank can fill in. I don't think I'd be too fond of her in that position either. So, yes, Grubby-Plank is one. Luckily, she also works for the Ministry and is some sort of honorary member of the Department for Regulation and Control (shorthanded; can I really be expected to write it all out?) and is active, so if she needs to leave, we also have another assistant. Poor Ron. It's Fleur Delacour. It's unlikely she'll ever teach a class, as most likely Hagrid and Grubby-Plank won't have to leave at the same time. I'm rather surprised. Why on earth is she here? She can't even handle grindylows and I'd think she'd be too worried about getting dirty teaching the Magical Creatures class! But who am I to question Dumbledore?
Hagrid is ready to lash out at them both. He is not a happy camper. Ron and Harry and I are going to visit him to cheer him up soon.
And Arthimancy - good as ever! I still adore Professor Vector, even if she is in cahoots with the triplets…
Which brings us quite nicely to an update on the triplets. Lee Jordan will be consuming large amounts of Polyjuice Potion this year and will pose of all of the Weasley triplets at one point. I didn't ask how they got the Potion. They couldn't prepare it in time and they haven't enough money to buy any… although they did get Ron and Ginny new dress robes somehow. I must say - and I will never pamper Ron's high opinion of himself by saying this to his face - Ron looks mightily good in those dark blue dress robes. But like I said - mum's the word.
In any case, Fred and George had Defence today with the Ravenclaws and Drothl. Drothl, in the words of Fred, "sure isn't trying to win any popularity contests". Fred reported she was mean and nasty and sarcastic and impatient "and Snape probably hates her because she's teaching exactly like he is". Ron paled horribly at these words. Ginny and Jennifer Dawdle nearly fainted when they heard this. However, the seventh-year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws absolutely love this. They spent much of the class asking George loudly if he felt all right and demanding to know how mean old "Davy" could pull such a horrible trick on him! Right in front of Drothl! And she fell for it! Alicia Spinnet was howling in laughter when she emerged from her dormitory. She claimed she spent the whole class trying not to giggle.
And now Fred and George and Lee have grand ideas on how to use "David" to destroy any respect Drothl might dare to gain. Harry looked as though he might suggest how the Marauders used the Sage "triplets" to corrupt their unwanted student counselor but at a sharp glance from me he kept his mouth shut.
Okay, we're going to go visit Hagrid and then - Correspondence Chain!
September 3
Been way to busy to write. Hagrid's a little touchy about the subject of Fleur and Grubby-Plank but is otherwise in an excellent mood. He dropped hints as to what he did this summer but refused to say it outright.
The Correspondence Chain - is not quite a dream. It's an honour, but it's work. First McGonagall gave us a long lecture, although she promised this was mainly up to us with Fleur Delacour as an "overseer" - that's why they wanted her here, I suppose - but that first she had a few things to say. I was elected a position somewhat like "president" or "captain". (I think Ernie was a bit put out about that.) We listened to a long history of what the CC does - something I knew all about, of course. You know… used to connect the witches and wizards working against the Dark Side in times of official or unofficial Dark Crisis… very important; great responsibility… but the thing that most caught our attention was a magical vow of loyalty and secrecy. The staff had spent a long time deciding whom they could trust. We'll be hearing many secrets, rumors, and things in general that we can't tell anyone. Harry looked a little pain. How will we get along keeping some of this a secret from Ron? But we took the vow, of course. We also had to swear we truly believed the Dark Lord was gaining power as we spoke and that we would do anything, anything to help, especially in light of the CC. We had to swear ourselves to the Order of the Phoenix and be willing to take Albus Dumbledore's word in all matters. All matters. Like when McGonagall mentioned some of the people outside of Hogwarts who would be key players in this, one of them was Charles Rossington.
"That old Refrudian prat…" Chelsea scowled.
McGonagall glanced at her sharply. "He's an ally of the Order of the Phoenix and on our side. He's a respected authour and very dedicated to this group. He is a new member the same as yourself who has vowed loyalty. Any other objections, Miss Smythe?"
Chelsea shook her head, looking rather ashamed of yourself. She's a bit more open-minded then some Slytherins we all know and love… to hate.
Ernie MacMillian was the one who really got it, when McGonagall added Lupin to that list.
"Him?" Ernie cried, and I was strongly reminded of our second year when he thought Harry was attacking everyone.
McGonagall gave him the same sharp glance as Chelsea, but, unlike Chelsea, he didn't appear remotely abashed. "Professor Lupin kept the Correspondence Chain alive - no exaggeration - during the Dark Lord's last rising during a time when it was a most thankless task and kept it firmly up until a Dark Calamity was declared. Even afterward, he worked to assure that trustworthy, capable people were running it well and has a reputation for training the younger members. Any objections, Macmillan?"
Ernie didn't; out loud, anyway. He nodded gloomily, but you don't dare defy Professor McGonagall. Although when she also said "Grace Zambia", I think he was ready to have a tantrum. Actually, McGonagall didn't look too thrilled either. I think Zambia was the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher during the greater part of the Marauder's years here, and according to the material, no one really liked her.
And then we had to start on this huge mountain of letters, paperwork, files, clippings, and reports. We still had to get everything in order from the last time this had been used, fourteen years ago. Ernie had the nerve to say - whispering, but still in McGonagall's presence - "Yeah, Lupin kept it up and put capable people in charge, did he?"
"If you want to question the work of Marlana Payne and Mavis Johnson, I'd be glad to fetch them for you, MacMillian," McGonagall said in a too-bright voice. "You could even bring the complaint up to Professor Lupin right now. Still a problem?"
Ernie didn't need to check out the window to see that moon was full and to know that Marlana Payne was risking her life right now trying to track down Sirius Black, supposedly a supporter of You-Know-Who, and that she had a sharp, sharp tongue. He sure wasn't about to argue.
Speaking of which, McGonagall has gotten wonderfully sarcastic over the summer. That wasn't the only remark she made that had us flinching. She's been spending too much time with Snape, I think.
Speaking of Snape, he looks really awful. He's very pale and I've noticed he barely eats anything at meals now. If he's taken up the position as spy, it's probably no wonder. He's just as biting as ever, though, according to Ginny, who had Potions with him yesterday. As much as I don't like him, I really hope he holds up, and not just because our lives may be in his hands. It's because that no one really deserves to have to go through all that, living every day in that much fear and strain. No one. Not even Snape.
Back to… where was I?… Ernie MacMillian. No matter what I suggested, he didn't like it. No matter what I proposed, he rejected it. No matter what I asked, he had a sarcastic answer to. Well, I'm exaggerating. Only part of the time. But it did get somewhat annoying. And it's rather tiresome getting six opinionated people to agree on the same thing. Fleur Delacour is the tiebreaker vote. Honestly. And it's intimidating, all this work… very, very scary, almost. Harry and Lisa soon muttered something about having horrible headaches. My ears are ringing. And we barely got everything accomplished, in my eyes. And … we got to do this three times a week for the rest of the year… or if we defeat You-Know-Who. Along with homework. Along with Harry's Quidditch practices.
So, while I'm definitely enthusiastic… it's exhausting.
So I think I'll do my Transfiguration homework and get some sleep.
