Title: Harry Potter and Kinson's Orb
Author: Kararen
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter; I only own the plot to this story and any characters I add.
Author's Note: Okay, this was originally going to be the Hogwarts Express chapter, but I got some ideas. I think you'll like it. The conversation with Remus went a lot longer than I expected, and I've come up with an interesting end for this one. There will be one more chapter after this one before they start on their way to Hogwarts. We've got OWL Results, shopping in Diagon Alley, and an interesting event that happens at the end.
And Dawnie, you seem to be very "with it" indeed. Yes, Blythe is in my other fic. It's easier if I just keep characters around. I plan to keep all my fics together like that! As for Sage, she's not exactly an old girlfriend, but you've got the idea!
-Chapter Six-
OWL Results
The next morning Ginny came home from Blythe's, and the Hogwarts letters arrived while everyone was eating breakfast. Along with the letters were the long dreaded O.W.L. results for Harry and Ron. Harry was kind of glad that Hermione had gone home, he didn't care to hear her brag about getting 'Outstanding' in all of her courses. He expected nothing less than Outstanding marks from her. He on the other hand was rather worried. He needed good marks to get into the right NEWT classes.
"The letters have come rather late this year haven't they?" Percy said.
"Well, the Ministry as well as Hogwarts has been busy with other, more important things recently," Mr. Weasley explained.
Mrs. Weasley handed out the letters to Ginny, Harry, and Ron, and was hovering just behind Ron anxious to see his results.
"Do you mind mum?" Ron asked her.
"I'm going to find out how you did anyways Ronald Weasley, so you may as well let me see now," she snapped back at him.
Meanwhile, Harry opened the envelope addressed to him and read his results. As it turned out, he had done rather well.
Owl Results
Astronomy - AcceptableCare of Magical Creatures – Outstanding
Charms – Outstanding
Defense Against the Dark Arts - Outstanding
Divination - Acceptable
Herbology – Exceeds Expectations
History of Magic - Acceptable
Potions – Exceeds Expectations
Transfiguration – Exceeds Expectations
The classes you wish to take at the NEWTs Level must be chosen and returned to the school immediately. Please return this parchment with your selections circled. Your head of house will speak with the professor of each course you wish to continue taking, and you will be notified in the week before the term starts whether you've been accepted into those courses.
He looked at the piece of parchment almost unbelievingly. Three 'Outstanding' marks, three 'Exceeds Expectations', and three 'Acceptables'. He had passed them all, even Divination. He was sure he could have done better in Astronomy, but the events he saw had stopped him from finishing his star chart. The only worry he had was his Potions mark. Professor McGonagall had told him he needed Potions to become an auror, but that Professor Snape only allowed students with 'Outstanding' OWL results into his NEWTs class.
When Harry looked up, Ron and his mother were still fighting over looking at the results. He also noticed that Ginny was looking quite pleased with her letter.
"What is it Ginny?" he asked.
"I've, I've been made a prefect!"
"Well done then Ginny!" he said smiling.
Ginny smiled and blushed before she could turn her head in the direction of Ron and Mrs. Weasley. Ron had fallen off his chair and his mother was ripping open the letter. She looked it over, smiled, handed him the parchment, and said, "Well, I'm very pleased with your results Ron. But I'd have liked your Potions mark a little higher. But I must say, I'm proud of you! Two 'Outstandings' and Four 'Exceeds Expectations' is nothing to be ashamed of that's for sure. And you've passed everything.""
Ron's ears went red. He wasn't used to getting that kind of attention.
"What's your letter say Ginny?" Mrs. Weasley asked. In all the fuss over Ron's marks, no one but Harry had heard her announcement.
"I've been made a prefect mum! I thought for sure that Blythe would get it."
"I knew you'd get it all along Ginny. It runs in the family!" Percy said proudly. "Like I told Ron last year, it's the first step towards Head Boy, or Head Girl in your case!"
"Yes Ginny, you've had excellent marks. I think you deserve it and I'm very proud of you!" Mrs. Weasley said, and she gave Ginny a hug. "I suppose you'd like an owl then?"
"Oh, no mum, you don't need to get me anything," Ginny said.
"Yeah, that's right, she doesn't deserve anything! This is just horrible," Fred said.
"Another Prefect sibling won't be good for business," added George.
Everyone laughed. Fred and George were taking the matter very seriously though, and left immediately to make reparations.
"And how did you do Harry dear, if you don't mind me asking," Mrs. Weasley said.
"Pretty well. Here," and he handed her his results.
"Well done indeed!"
Harry was glad that Mrs. Weasley was pleased. She really was almost like a mother to him.
As it turned out, Ron had gotten 'Outstanding' in Care of Magical Creatures (much to Hagrid's delight) as well as in Divination. Neither he nor Harry could figure out how that had happened. He received 'Exceeds Expectations' in Transfiguration, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Herbology, and 'Acceptable' in History of Magic, Astronomy, and Potions.
"Do you know what NEWT classes you're taking Ron?" Harry asked after they had gone upstairs.
"Well, I'm not sure now. I thought I did. I wanted to be an auror, but I don't think I'll get into the classes I need."
"I wanted to be the same. I don't even know if I'll get into Potions without and 'Outstanding'."
"You've got a better chance than I do!"
"Well, I'm going to pick it anyhow," Harry said decidedly. "Along with Transfiguration, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Care of Magical Creatures."
"I'm going to take those four as well, but I need one more. It's between Herbology and Divination."
"Well, you did get 'Outstanding in Divination, maybe you should give that a try."
"Yeah, maybe I will!"
"I'm going to send a letter to Hermione. I think I should thank her for helping me study and get these marks. She'll want to know how I did," Harry said.
"Good idea, can we make it from the both of us?"
"Sure thing."
~***~
Hermione's reply came back the next day.
Dear Ron and Harry,
I'm so proud of the both of you. You did very well on your OWLs and you've made good choices for your NEWTS classes. I'm still puzzled on Ron's 'Outstanding' in Divination. I think you should take Herbology or History of Magic instead of it. But it's your choice.
I got 'Outstanding' in everything except Astronomy. I got 'Exceeds Expectations', but I'm not continuing with it anyways, and I was rather disrupted by what happened to Professor McGonagall. I know you're probably laughing at me right now Ronald Weasley, but you can hold your tongue because I honestly don't care if I didn't get 'Outstanding' in everything. No one's perfect.
I've decided to take Transfiguration, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, History of Magic, Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, and Potions for my NEWTs. I feel bad about not taking Herbology, Astronomy, and especially Ancient Runes, but I don't want to overload myself. I'll never forget third year and all that work I had to do. I just got too worn out!
I know you guys are spending a lot of time in Diagon Alley, but I was hoping that you could wait for me before going to get your school things. I know you both need new robes, and I do as well. And there are a lot of other things as well. I'm sure once we get confirmation that we've been accepted into the class they'll add things we need to buy.
Take care! Tell Ginny congratulations on being made a Prefect! I'm having a great vacation. Can't wait to see you again!
Yours truly,
Hermione Granger
Harry gave the letter to Ron who finished reading and slipped the parchment into his pocket.
"We'll wait for her then?" he asked Harry.
"Yeah, sounds like a plan. Let's send Hedwig saying that we'll meet her at Fred and George's one week before school starts."
~***~
Over the next two weeks, Harry enjoyed himself to the fullest. He spent a lot of time at the joke shop and practicing quidditch with either Ron or Ginny or the two of them. He did have a few days while he was kind of down. But losing your godfather, your chance to get away from the Dursley's for good, and finding out you had to either kill Voldemort or be killed by him wasn't exactly easy to deal with, even when you are with your friends. The fate of the wizarding world was in his hands, and he wasn't sure that he wanted that kind of responsibility.
But he made it through, and finally the day came when they were going to Diagon Alley to meet Hermione and get all their school supplies. The day before, the NEWTs letters came for Harry and Ron. They both got into all of their classes. Harry even got into Potions, though from Snape's reply, it sounded like Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore had something to do with it. Snape warned him that one slip up or poor grade and he'd be thrown out immediately. Harry was excited to go back to school, except for that class. Two more years of Snape was not very inviting!
Harry, Ron, and Ginny met Hermione at Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes at noon. First they went to Gringotts Bank to take money for their things out of their vaults. Hermione exchanged some muggle money for some gold galleons, silver sickles, and bronze knuts, while Harry swapped a few galleons for some muggle money, for the next summer. They all needed new robes, so they went to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions second. They were measured, the girls went first and the boys second, and each bought three new robes. Ron was the most excited. He'd never had new robes before. Neither had Ginny, but she wasn't as concerned over things like that as she used to be.
The NEWTs letters had all the books they were required to buy so they went to Flourish and Blotts next. They also went to the Apothecary where Hermione got a new cauldron, and she and Harry bought their potions ingredients. They went to The Leaky Cauldron for some butterbeer, Florean Fortescue's for some ice cream, and spent quite a long time looking around in Quality Quidditch Supplies where they met fellow Gryffindors Neville Longbottom and Seamus Finnegan. Before heading back to Fred and George's shop, they went to Eeylops Owl Emporium. Mrs. And Mr. Weasley had given Ginny money to buy herself an owl and she wanted them to go with her.
"How about this one Ginny?" Ron suggested, pointing out a great horned owl at the front of the store.
"Nah, I want to look around lots. I don't want one that's that big, but not one that's too small either. You have Pig, and he's sometimes too small to carry some things," Ginny replied.
"There's nothing wrong with Pig," Ron said in defense of Pig. He didn't exactly act like he loved his owl who he found rather annoying, but wasn't going to sit back and listen to anyone insulting him.
"Oh relax Ron, she was just making a valid point!" Hermione chimed in, which led to yet another bickering war with Ron.
Meanwhile, Harry helped Ginny decide on a gorgeous brown barn owl. She paid the cashier and they walked back out into the street.
"What are you going to name him Ginny?" Harry asked.
"I'm not sure, I was thinking maybe Zephyr," she replied.
"I think I should get to name your owl, since you named Pig!" Ron said angrily.
"Oh, don't start Ron," Hermione said, rolling her eyes.
"I think Zephyr is an excellent name," Harry said.
They decided to look in a few more shops, but didn't buy anything. Their pockets were considerably lighter than when they had started out from Gringotts. When they finally reached the joke shop, they helped Fred and George close and made their way to The Leaky Cauldron since it was the only thing left open.
The six of them used floo powder to get back to the Burrow, but when they got there Mrs. Weasley was waiting for them looking very grave.
"Harry, Ron, Ginny! Go pack your trunks and bring them back down here. Hermione, Fred, and George will help you. Go quickly, and don't make a lot of noise. We have to leave at once. They're coming!"
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Author's Note: Are you excited to find out what happens? I hope so! But unfortunately you'll have to wait until I get back from camping and soccer tryouts to find out! I'll be home on August 10th, so you certainly won't get it before then. I'm going to bring a notebook along and try to write some, but I don't like having to type everything out. So I'll probably get a point form note of what's going to happen in the next few chapters. I'll have plenty of time to come up with ideas, there's not a lot to do while camping! I'm also going to try to write the 'Messing with the Marauders' book, because I know you are dying to see Harry read it! I'm planning on making it into an entire fanfic, and only have a few specific things highlighted in this story…just the things I need.
Question, are these chapters too long? I don't mean for them to be, it's just that when I start writing, I end up getting caught up with it!
So anyways, don't forget to review! And tell all your friends to read and review! And also go read my other fanfic! It has short little entries, so it won't take as long to read! And guess what you can do after you read it…review it! Yay! And then tell your friends about it! LOL!
So until next time, TTFN, ta ta for now! ;o)