WARNING – OotP spoilers!

The Legacy of the Founders :: By: JoC a.k.a JkReviewer

::

Chapter VI – Constallations and trouble!

Next day was Saturday, a work Saturday, or as Fred and George had ones called it when explaining this dreaded arrangement – Slave weekends! It was something that all 6th and 7th years had to through they had said. First the had all thought this were one of their jokes, but it (for once) turned out to be right.

Harry didn't get a chance to discuss Ron's odd quidditch choice or even sit next too him, until lunch the following day. Ron had been awfully quiet for the two first classes, only answering when asked directly by McGonagall. And even now it seemed futile to address him. Ron looked very nervous about the whole thing. He kept shovelling food to his plate, eating it in a minute and then getting some more. Although finding this a tad repulsive, he did nothing to stop Ron's behaviour, because he knew exactly how he felt. Harry tried talking to him, but he didn't seem to notice…

"In two hours…" he kept mumbling, most likely referring to the announcement of the selected players. Harry was nervous too, although most likely not in the same way as Ron. He had signed up as his favourite position: Seeker, while Ron had chosen chaser – something Harry suspected he was regretting right now. The thing about being judged by a black foggy box was that no one could be sure. Past experiences and potential? Maybe that was what Ron feared the most. He had only played quidditch for a year, and that was as keeper. He took one more look at Ron, before deciding that only time could tell, and he was better let alone for the time being.

He looked around the Great Hall, noting that his friend wasn't the only one with overgrown butterflies in their stomachs. A lot of players from Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and even Slytherin looked very disturbed right now. To Harry's great joy he saw Malfoy sitting very uncomfortable, moving slowly from side to side, not eating at all. Maybe he realised that even his father's money couldn't buy him a spot on the team now. Knowing Malloy's usual pride, he was more likely worried that he would have to play with people that hated him, people who would treat him as the dirt he was.

He kept looking around for a while, studying the faces of his future team members! (Or opponents) Few looked determined, most looked scared, and some looked like the always did. Harry suspected these were the ones who hadn't signed up, but when he tried counting them, there wasn't that many. He caught Cho's eye, when examining some of the other Ravenclaw players. She gave him a nervous smile, and mouthed "Good luck!"

Harry smiled back, hoping it looked encouraging. She smiled back, taking out a book and showing it to him. Quidditch of the field Harry read, knowing that Cho as a Ravenclaw, had probably used the last days getting her hands on every book about it, to improve her chances and such. She pointed to Ron, obviously wondering why he looked so pale. Harry shrugged, and gave her a puzzled face as a reply.

They managed their telepathic mind sharing and smiling for a few more minutes before her friends dragged her away for class. 

Harry was brought back to reality by nearby giggling. He turned his head, only to see Hermione with a hand in her mouth trying to stop laughing. She finally controlled herself, straitening up. "Sorry Harry!" She smiled. "I couldn't keep it back any longer…"

Harry frowned. Although he knew the reason why she was doing it, he might as well try to bluff. "Why are you laughing?" he said with his most innocent voice, knowing it sounded very stupid. Of course she called his bluff. "Oh, just noticing your rather strange way of communicating with people you are totally over!" She said in a very mucking voice, echoing a Harry statement from before the summer holidays. Instead of being annoyed he just smiled to himself, blushing a bit for being found out. She knew of course, nothing went past her.

"What's up with you two?" she asked in her casual voice, making it sound like something she asked him all the time. Harry fought back a smile. "Nothing…" Harry said quickly - too quickly. "Yeah right, and I'm dating Malfoy!" she taunted back.

"YOU'RE WHAT!?" Ron suddenly yelled from beside Harry. They looked at their read-head friend, both looking very shocked. Other people had turned to watch as well, obviously hoping for a fight to easy the pain of waiting, for the announcement of the teams. "It – it was just a joke Ron!" Hermione mumbled, looking very red around the cheeks. The absurdness of the previous statement, along with the sad look on Harry and Hermione's faces seemed to convince Ron in a second. All colour faded from his face. "Sor – Sorry!" Was all he could mutter, before standing up and running from the great hall. Harry had two seconds to wonder, what on earth there was going on, before Hermione too ran from the great hall – not taking the same route out as Ron!

Harry sat back, alone and confused. Sometime soon he had too get to the bottom of this.

The last classes of the day were rather strange. Neither Ron nor Hermione turned up for History of Magic. Binns didn't seem to care or even notice, and he continued talking for fifty minutes flat, in his dull monotone voice about the tradition of house elves. Harry tried staying awake thinking about how Hermione would have loved to hear this, if she had been here. He tried taking some notes for her and Ron, but his mind kept going back to where on earth his two best friends could be, and why the didn't show. Hermione never missed a class. Unless she was sick or injured, and even that wasn't usually enough to keep her away. He sighed loudly, waking up nearby students. Something was definitely wrong.

He got out of class as fast as possible when the bell rang, trying to use the precious minutes between classes to find his friends. But without the Marauders map it proved impossible and Harry walked alone to his double Defence Against the Dark Arts. Professor Tonks seemed as Happy and eager as ever, but she did notice that neither Ron nor Hermione was present. She looked at Harry for answers, but he just shook his head. Tonks shrugged, and returned to teaching. After last weeks cover training they had moved on the basic mind confusing spells.

"As you all know…" she started. "The Imperious curse is the most powerful mind spell there is." She paused waiting for them to note it down. "But since it's one of the unforgivable curses, you will of course not be trained in using it…"

She muttered something very quietly to herself, but Harry seemed to gather something along the line of "…not yet anyway!" She sighed. "But there are other tricks you can play on the mind, than the mind control curse. And it is these curses that you will learn!" She took out her wand from inside her robes and pointed it at Harry. Harry saw Tonks mouth move, but heard no indication of a spell. Suddenly she disappeared along with all his classmates, and he sat alone in the room.

He stared around bewildered. Where had everybody gone? Maybe he had fallen asleep from the spell, and they had left him. Why hadn't anyone woken him up before leaving? Damn!

He stood up and started walking around the room, a weird shiver running down his spine. Somehow everything wasn't it used to be. He went back to his seat and started packing his things away. He was about to leave the room, when a strange feeling in the back of his head made him turn around. The sunlight normally coming in through the window at the back of the room in these hours – it was gone. A brief flash appeared before Harry's eyes, and he was back in the classroom, near the door, every eye in the room looking at him.

Tonks was smiling proudly. "I knew you would break it Harry!" she said. "This is almost a record, even among Aurors!"

Harry could fell his ears warm up along with his cheeks. Somehow he liked getting praised just like everyone else, but it made him feel embarrassed too.

"The spell which I threw at you, the Miragio spell, is actually quite complicated, both performing and defending against." She cleared her throat. "What it does is that it changes what a person sees, based on the thoughts of the caster." The looked around to see if everyone was up to speed and listening. No need Harry thought – they always were in her classes.

"What you must remember is that it only changes what you see, and since it is a basic illusion like a mirage it's still. No persons, no smell, no wind, only what the eye can see!" she said, wondering if that last comment wasn't to confusing. "Whatever the 'victim' sees is what the caster imagines just at that moment!" A few hands shot up just then, forcing professor Tonks to pause her lecture. "Yes, Mr Thomas?"

Dean, seemed to be wondering too whom he should address the question, looking from Tonks, to Harry, then back to Tonks, obviously deciding that she was the teacher so she knew. "What did you imagine for Harry? He looked quite lost…" he quickly said, looking at Harry with a nervous gaze. Harry didn't take offence. "Well… Actually I imagined this room!" she began. "But I obviously didn't think hard enough – Harry realised it in a minute!" She turned to him. "What gave it away Harry?" She smiled encouraging.

"The sun rays, they are usually there at this hour – I don't know how I noticed. It was more of a feeling I had…" Somehow this seemed to impress Tonks, but she didn't say anything. She just smiled wider than normal days, but otherwise continued the lecture on the spell.

They used the next thirty minutes getting all the information about this complex spell. At first it had seemed at basic eye confusion spell, but it was in fact a weak memory spell too. That was why Harry did really think about Tonks casting it on him. After all the theory behind the spell had been explained, it was time for the students to try it out on each other. Since neither Ron nor Hermione was present (Harry was still wondering about that) he had to pair up with Neville. He didn't mind that too much, Neville had certainly improved over the last years DA training.

Since Harry had already been a subject to the spell once, he got to go first on using it on Neville. "Now, remember!" Tonks said. "Think real hard about a certain place, remember as much as you can. Then point the wand at the eyes and say: Miragio!" Everyone nodded, and turned their attention towards their partner.

"A place I know really well?" Harry muttered to himself, trying to think of a place that he knew by heart. He almost chose the infirmary, but he was afraid it might scare Neville a bit. After a minute of thinking Harry decided that the common room was familiar to everyone. He focused real hard on the how the chairs looked, the fire raging and the books scattered all over the tables. "Miragio!" he suddenly said, a instead of being startled, Neville's look seemed to drift of. He started walking around the classroom, staring at something no one else could see. He sat down in professor Tonks' chair, letting out a huge sigh. He took her notes from the table, obviously reading them like a book.

Harry couldn't suppress a laughter, while thinking about just how powerful this spell really was. He walked over to Neville, wanting to wake him up, but Tonks got in the way. "Stop… I mustn't wake him up. The longer you wait the saver it is, but just like sleepwalking the mind might have troubles letting go of the illusion." She said, a first looking very strict, but then dropping the frown and smiling. "I must say, you never cease to impress me Harry!" he blushed.

Harry spent the time waiting for Neville's return to the real world, by studying some of the others. Some had thought of their own house, and their subjects seemed quite frightened by where they were. Most people came to after five to ten minutes, but Neville was still 'in there'!

Neville didn't come to at all during class, so professor Tonks had to use so sort of counter spell, which – however – was very complicated. "He'll be ready in fifteen minutes, I'll send him to the great hall!" she said to Harry as he was getting really concerned. "Don't worry, I figured he had a good time in there…" she smiled, and so did Harry when he saw the look on Neville's face. Harry shook his head, a left for dinner.

Both Ron and Hermione was in the great hall, waving at him when he entered.  They sat next to each other he noticed, both of them in a good mood. "So… Have you settled your little…ehh…argument?" he asked nervously. No need to set them of again. "What argument?" Ron said with a strange honest tone. Hermione too looked at Harry with disbelief. On one hand he really wanted to get to the bottom of this, but on the other hand as long as they weren't yelling at each other, he counted it an improvement. "Never mind…" he sighed.

They ate their dinner like the incident at lunch didn't even happen. It seemed they had all forgotten completely about the team announcement, because Ron and Harry jumped a little when Madam Hooch's magically enhanced voice suddenly broke the dinner chat.

"Well, it's time for the team announcement so please be quiet…" she said, putting the black box on a small pedestal in front of her. The great hall was dead quiet. You could have dropped a needle on the stone floor, and everyone would have turned to 'hush' you. Harry never really liked to much silence, I got to him nerves somehow. Although it was his best friends in the middle of a sneaking-around-the-castle night, I certainly annoyed him now. Suddenly the box opened, this time without the fog. A voice, which seemed to come from within the box was heard. "For team Gemini the players are: Davies, Roger – McCauley, Laura, - Witdum, Marcus – Bells, Maria – Thomas, Dean – Potter, Harry and Malfoy, Draco." The happy thought about being selected to play, disappeared a nanosecond later as Draco "The git" Malfoy's name had been called. Harry looked over to the Slytherin table. Somehow it comforted him a bit, that Malfoy looked just as displeases with this as he did. A large troll like housemate of Draco's suddenly came over to him, and started to chat. "Must be Witdum…" Harry thought gloomy.

His grim thoughts of Malfoy knocking him of the broom while him not watching, was interrupted by an ecstatic Dean. "I did it Harry, I'm on the team – and with you." He beamed at Harry, who gave him a smile and a thumbs-up to let him know was happy about it. Thank god he would be alone with Malfoy. "We'll talk later Dean, in the common room after Dinner!" was all Harry managed to say, before the voice from the box spoke again.

Harry didn't really paid much attention to the next team, since he didn't recognize a single name. His mind began working again when team Aries was announced. "… and Weasley, Ron" Instead of the usual yelling that would have completely killed his already impaired hearing, only a small sigh was heard from beside Harry. He turned to face his newly chosen opponent, only to find Ron frozen completely with wide blank eyes. At first Harry almost suspected the Miragio spell, but then it came. The explosion! "I DID IT HARRY…. I MADE IT!" Ron yelled while jumping up and down. Outsiders would have believed he just won the Daily Prophet lottery, but Harry knew better – and he shared Ron's happiness with him.

Ron continued to mumble "I did it…" for at least the next two hours, not paying attention to the rest of the team sorting. Harry was happy to hear the name "…Cho Chang…" being yelled when the last team's players (Vega team) was announced. He looked to the Ravenclaw table, spotting a very relieved Cho being congratulated by her friends. He caught her eye, smiling at her. She smiled back an mouthed "congratulations". Harry blushed a bit without knowing why. He returned with a "you too" wondering just how good they were at this lip reading stuff.

When they had all eaten up (which took almost an hour longer today because of the team announcements) as they were about to leave, Dumbledore stood up. The Hall didn't fell completely silent to begin with, but as he spoke every little bit of chat and small-talk stopped. "The first match, between Gemini and Aries will be played one day before Halloween, and the Fall Ball!" It must have been strange seeing people's reactions from the headmaster's point of view. Most people seemed really thrilled, breaking out in instant gossiping, while others looked terrified of having to dress up for dance, once again. "We're still working on the name…" Dumbledore continued with an amused smile on his lips.

In one day everyone in the Griffindor common room had gotten more to talk about than ever before. The talk in the common room didn't die out until well past midnight, and for some reason McGonagall didn't make her usual show, telling them all to go to bed. Harry suspected she didn't do it out of the good of her heart, but rather on orders form the headmaster, giving the students a chance to let all the new stuff sink in.

*   *   *

The next day Harry quickly showered, brushed his teeth and got his clothes on. He looked at the watch by the door! 11:30!? He noticed for the first time that he was alone in the dorm. Damn… I hope I'm not to late!

He had been thinking a lot yesterday (or was it today?), about not making the same mistake he made two years ago. He was gonna ask her to the Ball – today, before anyone else. In between a strange dream about flying food, and the hour-long discussion with himself about how the day would turn out, he had decided that he really liked Cho. Not just like a friend, but more than that. He wasn't really sure about the whole thing. He knew he was in great danger, almost constantly, but he couldn't help thinking about her. "Right…" he said to his mirror. "I've made up my mind… Voldemort won't ruin this too!" His mirror looked at him like a proud father. "That's the spirit!" it replied.

Since it was Sunday, no one had classes; all he had to do was to find Cho. Easier said than done, he thought to himself, almost an hour later without seeing her anywhere. Not in the library, the great hall or anywhere else that he had looked. He was just about to go back to the hall for lunch, when he saw her rounding a corner just 30 feet ahead of him. "Cho…" he called but she didn't hear him. He started to run, determined not to let the opportunity get away. But when he reaches the corner he stopped dead.

"I was wondering Cho, if you have a date for the Fall Ball?" Harry recognized the voice as belonging to Roger Davies. Former captain of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. Harry considered revealing himself, but his legs wouldn't move.

"I told you – when you asked me before the Yule Ball – that I see you only as a friend, Roger!" Her voice was very understanding and soft. She obviously didn't want to hurt her friend. It sounded like Roger was about to say something, but Cho beat him to it. "Besides I already have a date…"

Harry nearly fainted from the response. His legs suddenly began moving again, away from the scene of the crime. He faintly heard Roger Davies trying to get out of Cho who she was going with, but to no avail.

Harry thought that he had never been this depressed. In a small corner of his heart, he had really believed that Cho liked him back, and that they could go together to the Ball. Maybe he had misunderstood the entire thing at the DA, and in the train… He shook his head in disbelievement. This couldn't be happening.

He didn't say a word for the next many hours, and by the looks on their faces Ron and Hermione was getting really worried. Even she could guess what was wrong this time. "Come on Harry you can tell us…" Ron started "Yeah, we can help!" Hermione continued. They tried for almost half an hour, before letting Harry be. The next days passed like this one, Harry in almost complete silence – thinking about just one thing: Cho! On one hand she was the only one who could make him truly happy here, but on the other hand she was the sole source of his greatest despair. Every time he tried snapping back to reality, he failed. Whenever he closed his eyes these days, her pretty face showed up in his mind, smiling, laughing. He tried shaking it away, but it didn't help. He was getting desperate. Maybe, he thought, he could convince her to go to the ball with him instead. Maybe not… At least he wanted an explanation, and finally it was Friday. DA time!

Harry got there almost 10 minutes early, not wanting to spoil whatever chance he might have by getting her upset. She came right on time, looking better than ever Harry noticed. He was as nervous as never before, although he wasn't actually going to ask her out. He tried to keep his hands from trembling. She seemed to be waiting for him to start saying something. A nervous silence followed, Harry gathering courage and Cho waiting.

Why was this so hard? Harry thought. Why did girls have this effect on boys, and there normally perfect adjusted nervous? All right focus Harry. At least look at her, he said to himself lifting his head to lock with her eyes. She is so beautiful… Harry sighed loudly. Maybe too loud, because a second later a slight blush appeared on Cho's cheeks. Come on Harry – you can do this. Bravery and courage are Griffindor symbols remember? He sucked in a lot of air, expanding his chest, hoping for it to give him enough strength to get the words over his lips. He wanted, no! He needed an explanation… "Cho I…" but he was cut off.

"Are you gonna ask me or not?" she suddenly said, jumping back in shock at her own statement. She obviously did mean to say this. She blushed completely red. "Uhh… I mean…" she tried but now it was Harry's turn to interrupt. "But – But I thought you already had a date... I heard you talking to Davies!" he voice trailed off. They had both stared at their shoes for the last minute, but almost as on command – they looked up and stared into each other's eyes. Cho's eyes seemed to sparkle with a strange starlight. Harry could tear himself away.

"Harry you silly…" she suddenly said, surprising him. "I just said that so that people would stop asking me out. I was waiting for…" Instead of finishing she just smiled, the blush creeping back, making her look down once more. Harry moved closer, she really did like him. He was now only ten inches away.

He was still more nervous than he could ever remember being, but a strange force seemed to guide his movements. He took her hand and she looked up again. She looked at him pleadingly. Harry suspected that she too, hoped not to wake up only to realise that it was a dream. But it wasn't…

Harry leaned closer, tilting his head slightly. She closed her eyes, a second before their lips met. The touch seemed like a sweet spark to him, his hands slowly moving from his side to the back of her head. He closed his eyes as well, feeling his hands getting lost in her magnificent raven hair. Harry had never felt anything like it. It wasn't like the kiss last year.

Harry felt Cho's tongue on his lips, opening them slightly. He returned it gently, twitching ever so slightly as their tongues met. He held her closer, never wanting to let go. Every nerve in his body seeming to glow from within. The held each other like they were never letting go, and Harry hoped it so, the kiss and the girl was all that mattered.

After what seemed like forever, they parted – both completely out of breath. Harry was shaking but he did nothing to stop it. How long they stood like this getting lost in each others eyes they did not know, nor did it matter. Cho was first to break the silence. "Harry…" She said breaking the silence. "I think I love you…" she wasn't smiling seeming a bit nervous actually, but Harry could tell she was as happy as never before. She moved in close again, wrapping her hands around him.

"I love you too Cho…"

* * * * * *

I'm real sorry about not updating for three days, but school has just begun again and I'm supposed to be some sort of intro student and stuff! So I wrote 1500 words more just for you…

Here is the next one, enjoy! The next one will be up soon…

So what do you think of the chapter. Since I am a boy, I'm not really an expert on romantic stuff like this, but I hope it turned out all right. The last 15 lines took me an hour to write. LOL

Disclaimer: This nice English lady owns all the Harry Potter stuff, and I don't know if she wants to share!

Anyway, as always:  I don't own any thing related to the Potter-universe that you can recognize!

Any criticism or comment you might have, about the story, the grammar, my weird sense of humour – I would be happy to hear it!

Respond to reviewers:

Tigercat – I don't know what to say. I've never been praised like that before, your review came just at the right time to kill a writers block and here it is for you! Just… Thanks! :)

Indigal – Thanks! I really appreciate it – you are one of the people that makes me write this story…

Hippyman – You ARE crazy. I knew it, but I like nothing more than a trusting reader. Thank you very much for reviewing again, if ever anything really crazy shows up in this story. It's cuz of you…

Ty – Ehh… thanks! I guess… I will write more be sure of that [ :) ], but could you please specify what you don't like?

Mushi007 – Thanks to you too, but I would really like it if you could tell me exactly what's good and what's not!

Please review – I like questions and ideas, cuz that way you guys might influence the direction of the story!