Author's note: Hi all! Maris here. Sorry I don't update often... School,
sleep, etc. Also, the computer is in my Mum and Dad's room ::scowls:: so I
can't get to it after about 10:00 most nights. ::mutters to herself::
Aaaaaaannnnyway. ^_^ So, here's the next installment. I really should be
working on that math project, though... ::sneaks onto the computer and
types frantically::
By the way, part of the scene at the dinner table (six lines, actually) are directly from the book. I don't claim to be the mastermind behind these words, but, as you've all probably read them before, I figured you would enjoy them again... they're funny! ^_^
Harry laid his bags on the bed in his room and stepped into the bathroom. He turned on the faucet and wet his toothbrush, squeezed toothpaste onto it, and proceeded to scour his teeth. After washing his face with a warm washcloth, he went back into the main part of the room - and stopped. He was supposed to meet the Weasleys and Hermione downstairs for dinner - he checked his watch - five minutes ago! Hurriedly, he pulled his shirt off (he thought it probably still smelled like the Apothecary) and pulled on a black top. After a moment's consideration, he switched jeans, too, to a darker, tighter pair. He stuck his tongue out at the mirror and rushed out of the room.
When he reached the parlor of the Leaky Cauldron, Tom the innkeeper had put together three tables to accommodate their group. The Weasleys and Hermione had apparently just ordered their drinks, because Tom asked Harry what he'd like as he passed the bar.
He thought a moment. "D'you have butterbeer?"
"Sure do, Harry, but it's not as good as what they stock in Hogsmeade, from what I hear," he grinned ruefully.
Harry smiled, "I'm sure it's fine. I'd like that, please."
"Coming right up."
He approached the table and saw that a chair had been left empty for him at the end of the table, next to Hermione. She smiled to him as he sat down, and Harry cheerfully at the rest of the table. Percy nodded solemnly to him, and he had to bite back a groan at the Head Boy badge pinned to his robes.
"How nice to see you, Harry," he spoke formally. Ron snorted. "I hope your summer was enjoya-"
"Splendid to see you, Harry, old boy! Simply smashing..." Fred cut Percy off as he waved jovially to Harry.
"Spiffing! I do hope you're well," added George pompously. Harry caught Ron's eye and the two grinned.
"That will be enough," said Mrs. Weasley firmly. She turned to Harry and said warmly, "Harry, dear, we're glad you could make it. I hope your summer was - er... pleasant?" she tried to smile, but he knew she was remembering the way Uncle Vernon had met him at King's Cross last year, and the Aunt Marge incident. He grimaced.
Conversation was halted, then, with the appearance of drinks and, a few moments later, the family style meal that Molly and Arthur Weasley had ordered for them. They eagerly ate their way through five delicious courses, and Harry quite enjoyed the butterbeer. Tom beamed. As he dug into a large chocolate pudding, Fred asked Mr. Weasley how they would get to the station the next morning.
"The Ministry's providing a couple of cars," said Mr. Weasley.
Everyone looked up at him.
"Why?" said Percy curiously.
"It's because of you, Perce," said George seriously. "And there'll be little flags on the hoods, with HB on them - "
" - for Humongous Bighead," said Fred.
Everyone except Percy and Mrs. Weasley snorted into their pudding.
When he had regained his composure, Ron's dad answered, "Well, Percy, as we haven't got a car any more, and as I work there, they're doing me a favor..."
It sounded reasonable enough, but it just didn't fit with Harry's picture of the Ministry. Hadn't Arthur Weasley gotten in big trouble about that car? Why would the Ministry be sympathetic now? Something was up. He reviewed in his head as he ate his own bowl of chocolate pudding. Fudge had shown up, apparently looking for Harry - for reasons unknown, he might add - and then not administered punishment for a serious offense of the underage wizarding restrictions law. Then, he had let Harry stay in the Leaky Cauldron instead of sending him home --or to Azkaban - and had, overall, seemed very jittery and falsely cheerful. And now the Ministry was giving Mr. Weasley the use of several cars... just to drive some students to a train station? Very weird, he decided. He also decided that he liked chocolate pudding very much.
After dinner, Harry headed up to Hermione and Ginny's room - 'Moine had told him that she had something to show him. Curious, he knocked on the door.
"Coming!" came the muffled reply, and Ginny opened the door. When she saw who it was, she reddened and opened the door. "Hi Harry," she murmured shyly.
"Hello, Ginny. Is Hermione here?"
"Yes, yes, I'm here. Come in, Harry, you've got to see him!" Hermione's voice came from the other end of the room.
Him? Harry stepped into the room and looked around. It was impeccably clean, and the girls' trunks were already packed and neatly pushed against one wall, out of the way. Hermione was seated in one of the large armchairs stroking what appeared to be a very large orange ball of fluff. He raised an eyebrow.
"Isn't he gorgeous? I got him today after you left, Harry, when Ron got some rat tonic for Scabbers." She held up the creature for him to see, and he made it out to be a huge cat. It was slightly bowlegged, and its face looked rather squashed, as if it had run into a wall. Hermione was glowing, and hugged the thing tightly. "His name's Crookshanks."
"That's really great, Hermione." He knew that she'd been wanting a pet, but had thought that she would choose an owl. It was, after all, more practical. She could use it to send letters to people in the upcoming school year, and they were probably more intelligent than cats.
He was dimly aware that she was telling Ginny all about how she'd gotten Crookshanks, and the two girls were stroking the thing. However, Harry's thoughts were not in the room. His thought about 'the upcoming school year' had nagged him. For the first time, he really wondered what it would be like if he was sorted into another House. He couldn't imagine being put into Hufflepuff, and he wasn't especially clever, so Ravenclaw was probably out of the picture, too. He was fairly sure he'd end up either in Gryffindor again or - he drew a breath - Slytherin. What had he gotten himself into? For the first time, too, he was doubting his sanity. Perhaps it was foolish to be re-sorted. He'd never had a problem in Gryffindor, had he? And all his friends were there, and McGonnagal was a fine House Head... but he had to know. He sighed again, knowing that, deep inside himself, nothing could change his resolve.
"Hermione?" he interrupted hesitantly. She looked up at him, pausing in mid- sentence. "I'm tired. I think I'm going to go to bed early. Long day tomorrow, you know." He yawned, just to add effect.
He nodded to Ginny and made his way out into the hall. As he was about to turn to go back to his room, he felt a hand on his elbow. It was Hermione. She stepped outside and closed the door behind her. She gave him a long look before speaking.
"Harry," she said gently, "are you ok?" She looked uncomfortable, but like she was trying to hide it. "You don't have to go through with it tomorrow. You can stay, just like it always has been. You'll probably just be put back there anyway, but it'll cause a stir, you know it will. Harry, please. What's the point in making a spectacle for no reason?" she pleaded with him.
He shook his head. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I have to know. I've told you before. Don't worry, I'm sure everything'll be fine. Just a little... confirmation, if you will, of where I'm supposed to be. Just to ease my mind, ok?" He hoped he sounded sure of himself, and sure that he would be put into Gryffindor. Hermione didn't need to worry about it any more tonight. "Go to bed, ok? The train ride will be fun, and then we'll be at school again! Relax." He stepped back. "Good night," and he turned and walked away.
He was so preoccupied that he didn't notice for thirty seconds that he was headed in the wrong direction. Looking around, he realized that he was at the opposite end of the building. Smacking himself lightly on the head, he spun around to head back the way he'd come. However, as he was passing Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's room, he slowed. It sounded like they were arguing. Feeling a little guilty, he put his ear to the door, and was surprised to hear his own name.
".makes no sense not to tell him. Harry's got a right to know. I've tried to tell Fudge, but he insists on treating Harry like a child. He's thirteen years old and-"
Mrs. Weasley cut her husband off. "Arthur, the truth would terrify him! Do you really want to send Harry back to school with that hanging over him? For heaven's sake, he's happy not knowing!"
"I don't want to make him miserable, I want to put him on his guard! You know what Harry and Ron are like, wandering off by themselves - they've ended up in the Forbidden Forest twice! But Harry mustn't do that this year! When I think what could have happened to him that night he ran away from home! If the Knight Bus hadn't picked him up, I'm prepared to bet he would have been dead before the Ministry found him..."
Harry was startled. Dead? Was Voldemort planning some new attack? That would explain why Fudge had been so nervous, and so relieved to find him unharmed. Now that he thought about it, it explained the Leaky Cauldron and the Ministry cars, too. They were for him, The Boy Who Lived. Great, he thought disgustedly, a bodyguard for the celebrity. However, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were still talking, and he put his ear back to the door.
"...sure that Black's after Harry-" Mrs. Weasley was saying.
"Molly, how many times do I have to tell you? They didn't report it in the press because Fudge wanted it kept quiet, but Fudge went out to Azkaban the night Black escaped. The guards told Fudge that Black's been talking in his sleep for a while now. Always the same words: 'He's at Hogwarts... he's at Hogwarts.' Black is deranged, Molly, and he wants Harry dead..."
His mind whirling, Harry stepped away from the door. He'd heard enough, and he hurried back to his room. Along the way, he met Fred and George crouched in the shadows. Snickering, they showed him Percy's badge, which they had swiped from his bedside table. It now read "Bighead Boy." Harry forced a laugh, and continued to his bedroom. Closing the door behind him, he numbly undressed and got into bed. Placing his glasses on the bedside table, his mind was, once again, full of questions.
It wasn't Voldemort, this time, but Sirius Black. He was the escaped convict he'd heard about first on the Muggle news and then on the Knight Bus. Apparently a big supporter of the Dark Lord, he'd heard. But why would he want Harry dead? How would he know he was at Hogwarts? What would he do? How had he managed to break out of Azkaban? And, Harry asked himself as he drifted off to sleep, what was he going to do about it?
Sorry it's so short! More soon, I promise!!!
By the way, part of the scene at the dinner table (six lines, actually) are directly from the book. I don't claim to be the mastermind behind these words, but, as you've all probably read them before, I figured you would enjoy them again... they're funny! ^_^
Harry laid his bags on the bed in his room and stepped into the bathroom. He turned on the faucet and wet his toothbrush, squeezed toothpaste onto it, and proceeded to scour his teeth. After washing his face with a warm washcloth, he went back into the main part of the room - and stopped. He was supposed to meet the Weasleys and Hermione downstairs for dinner - he checked his watch - five minutes ago! Hurriedly, he pulled his shirt off (he thought it probably still smelled like the Apothecary) and pulled on a black top. After a moment's consideration, he switched jeans, too, to a darker, tighter pair. He stuck his tongue out at the mirror and rushed out of the room.
When he reached the parlor of the Leaky Cauldron, Tom the innkeeper had put together three tables to accommodate their group. The Weasleys and Hermione had apparently just ordered their drinks, because Tom asked Harry what he'd like as he passed the bar.
He thought a moment. "D'you have butterbeer?"
"Sure do, Harry, but it's not as good as what they stock in Hogsmeade, from what I hear," he grinned ruefully.
Harry smiled, "I'm sure it's fine. I'd like that, please."
"Coming right up."
He approached the table and saw that a chair had been left empty for him at the end of the table, next to Hermione. She smiled to him as he sat down, and Harry cheerfully at the rest of the table. Percy nodded solemnly to him, and he had to bite back a groan at the Head Boy badge pinned to his robes.
"How nice to see you, Harry," he spoke formally. Ron snorted. "I hope your summer was enjoya-"
"Splendid to see you, Harry, old boy! Simply smashing..." Fred cut Percy off as he waved jovially to Harry.
"Spiffing! I do hope you're well," added George pompously. Harry caught Ron's eye and the two grinned.
"That will be enough," said Mrs. Weasley firmly. She turned to Harry and said warmly, "Harry, dear, we're glad you could make it. I hope your summer was - er... pleasant?" she tried to smile, but he knew she was remembering the way Uncle Vernon had met him at King's Cross last year, and the Aunt Marge incident. He grimaced.
Conversation was halted, then, with the appearance of drinks and, a few moments later, the family style meal that Molly and Arthur Weasley had ordered for them. They eagerly ate their way through five delicious courses, and Harry quite enjoyed the butterbeer. Tom beamed. As he dug into a large chocolate pudding, Fred asked Mr. Weasley how they would get to the station the next morning.
"The Ministry's providing a couple of cars," said Mr. Weasley.
Everyone looked up at him.
"Why?" said Percy curiously.
"It's because of you, Perce," said George seriously. "And there'll be little flags on the hoods, with HB on them - "
" - for Humongous Bighead," said Fred.
Everyone except Percy and Mrs. Weasley snorted into their pudding.
When he had regained his composure, Ron's dad answered, "Well, Percy, as we haven't got a car any more, and as I work there, they're doing me a favor..."
It sounded reasonable enough, but it just didn't fit with Harry's picture of the Ministry. Hadn't Arthur Weasley gotten in big trouble about that car? Why would the Ministry be sympathetic now? Something was up. He reviewed in his head as he ate his own bowl of chocolate pudding. Fudge had shown up, apparently looking for Harry - for reasons unknown, he might add - and then not administered punishment for a serious offense of the underage wizarding restrictions law. Then, he had let Harry stay in the Leaky Cauldron instead of sending him home --or to Azkaban - and had, overall, seemed very jittery and falsely cheerful. And now the Ministry was giving Mr. Weasley the use of several cars... just to drive some students to a train station? Very weird, he decided. He also decided that he liked chocolate pudding very much.
After dinner, Harry headed up to Hermione and Ginny's room - 'Moine had told him that she had something to show him. Curious, he knocked on the door.
"Coming!" came the muffled reply, and Ginny opened the door. When she saw who it was, she reddened and opened the door. "Hi Harry," she murmured shyly.
"Hello, Ginny. Is Hermione here?"
"Yes, yes, I'm here. Come in, Harry, you've got to see him!" Hermione's voice came from the other end of the room.
Him? Harry stepped into the room and looked around. It was impeccably clean, and the girls' trunks were already packed and neatly pushed against one wall, out of the way. Hermione was seated in one of the large armchairs stroking what appeared to be a very large orange ball of fluff. He raised an eyebrow.
"Isn't he gorgeous? I got him today after you left, Harry, when Ron got some rat tonic for Scabbers." She held up the creature for him to see, and he made it out to be a huge cat. It was slightly bowlegged, and its face looked rather squashed, as if it had run into a wall. Hermione was glowing, and hugged the thing tightly. "His name's Crookshanks."
"That's really great, Hermione." He knew that she'd been wanting a pet, but had thought that she would choose an owl. It was, after all, more practical. She could use it to send letters to people in the upcoming school year, and they were probably more intelligent than cats.
He was dimly aware that she was telling Ginny all about how she'd gotten Crookshanks, and the two girls were stroking the thing. However, Harry's thoughts were not in the room. His thought about 'the upcoming school year' had nagged him. For the first time, he really wondered what it would be like if he was sorted into another House. He couldn't imagine being put into Hufflepuff, and he wasn't especially clever, so Ravenclaw was probably out of the picture, too. He was fairly sure he'd end up either in Gryffindor again or - he drew a breath - Slytherin. What had he gotten himself into? For the first time, too, he was doubting his sanity. Perhaps it was foolish to be re-sorted. He'd never had a problem in Gryffindor, had he? And all his friends were there, and McGonnagal was a fine House Head... but he had to know. He sighed again, knowing that, deep inside himself, nothing could change his resolve.
"Hermione?" he interrupted hesitantly. She looked up at him, pausing in mid- sentence. "I'm tired. I think I'm going to go to bed early. Long day tomorrow, you know." He yawned, just to add effect.
He nodded to Ginny and made his way out into the hall. As he was about to turn to go back to his room, he felt a hand on his elbow. It was Hermione. She stepped outside and closed the door behind her. She gave him a long look before speaking.
"Harry," she said gently, "are you ok?" She looked uncomfortable, but like she was trying to hide it. "You don't have to go through with it tomorrow. You can stay, just like it always has been. You'll probably just be put back there anyway, but it'll cause a stir, you know it will. Harry, please. What's the point in making a spectacle for no reason?" she pleaded with him.
He shook his head. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I have to know. I've told you before. Don't worry, I'm sure everything'll be fine. Just a little... confirmation, if you will, of where I'm supposed to be. Just to ease my mind, ok?" He hoped he sounded sure of himself, and sure that he would be put into Gryffindor. Hermione didn't need to worry about it any more tonight. "Go to bed, ok? The train ride will be fun, and then we'll be at school again! Relax." He stepped back. "Good night," and he turned and walked away.
He was so preoccupied that he didn't notice for thirty seconds that he was headed in the wrong direction. Looking around, he realized that he was at the opposite end of the building. Smacking himself lightly on the head, he spun around to head back the way he'd come. However, as he was passing Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's room, he slowed. It sounded like they were arguing. Feeling a little guilty, he put his ear to the door, and was surprised to hear his own name.
".makes no sense not to tell him. Harry's got a right to know. I've tried to tell Fudge, but he insists on treating Harry like a child. He's thirteen years old and-"
Mrs. Weasley cut her husband off. "Arthur, the truth would terrify him! Do you really want to send Harry back to school with that hanging over him? For heaven's sake, he's happy not knowing!"
"I don't want to make him miserable, I want to put him on his guard! You know what Harry and Ron are like, wandering off by themselves - they've ended up in the Forbidden Forest twice! But Harry mustn't do that this year! When I think what could have happened to him that night he ran away from home! If the Knight Bus hadn't picked him up, I'm prepared to bet he would have been dead before the Ministry found him..."
Harry was startled. Dead? Was Voldemort planning some new attack? That would explain why Fudge had been so nervous, and so relieved to find him unharmed. Now that he thought about it, it explained the Leaky Cauldron and the Ministry cars, too. They were for him, The Boy Who Lived. Great, he thought disgustedly, a bodyguard for the celebrity. However, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were still talking, and he put his ear back to the door.
"...sure that Black's after Harry-" Mrs. Weasley was saying.
"Molly, how many times do I have to tell you? They didn't report it in the press because Fudge wanted it kept quiet, but Fudge went out to Azkaban the night Black escaped. The guards told Fudge that Black's been talking in his sleep for a while now. Always the same words: 'He's at Hogwarts... he's at Hogwarts.' Black is deranged, Molly, and he wants Harry dead..."
His mind whirling, Harry stepped away from the door. He'd heard enough, and he hurried back to his room. Along the way, he met Fred and George crouched in the shadows. Snickering, they showed him Percy's badge, which they had swiped from his bedside table. It now read "Bighead Boy." Harry forced a laugh, and continued to his bedroom. Closing the door behind him, he numbly undressed and got into bed. Placing his glasses on the bedside table, his mind was, once again, full of questions.
It wasn't Voldemort, this time, but Sirius Black. He was the escaped convict he'd heard about first on the Muggle news and then on the Knight Bus. Apparently a big supporter of the Dark Lord, he'd heard. But why would he want Harry dead? How would he know he was at Hogwarts? What would he do? How had he managed to break out of Azkaban? And, Harry asked himself as he drifted off to sleep, what was he going to do about it?
Sorry it's so short! More soon, I promise!!!