Chapter 23- Harry's Summer: Confessions, Revelations, and Questions
If there was any change in the Dursleys during the year he had been gone, it was that they hated him even more. They glared when they looked at him and spat when they spoke to him. Keeping in mind that he would never come back there again, he managed to be civil, which only infuriated them.
After two weeks of this disdainful behavior, Harry was thinking of staying until his birthday passed, just so he could hex them all. However, one day his problems were solved, and he did not think twice about leaving.
He was just turning on the burner to cook breakfast when a knock sounded at the door. A rustling indicated Uncle Vernon rising from his chair, grumbling about people who visited early in the morning without calling first, to answer the door. When he pulled it open, Harry heard a voice that made him grin.
"Hi, I'm here to get Harry. He's leaving with me and never coming back."
Harry coughed back his laugh and went into the corridor. "Subtle, Ron."
"Why bother with subtlety? Come on, Dad's waiting outside with a portkey. We leave in fifteen minutes."
"Fifteen minutes! Are you kidding? Why didn't you tell me so I could get packed?"
"Well, I'll help you pack, Harry." He winked.
A slow smile spread across Harry's face. He wondered how the Dursleys would react… "You just want an excuse to touch my underwear."
"Harry! Don't be ridiculous! I don't need an excuse."
They both laughed, and then they kissed. Harry turned to see Uncle Vernon recoiling in horror. Dudley had just waddled into the room, and he exclaimed, "I *knew* you had to be a queer!"
In a heartbeat, both Ron's and Harry's wands had flown into their hands. "No, Harry, let me. After all, I'm the one who's of age now."
"Oh, yeah. Go ahead, Ron. A pig snout to go with that tail he removed."
Dudley squeaked and ran from the room. Or, he tried to run, but it was more of a quick waddle. Ron and Harry ran past him to Harry's room, where they burst out laughing. They wiped tears of mirth from their eyes when they had recovered, and then realized that they had approximately five minutes to pack everything Harry owned.
"Relax," Ron said. "Watch this."
He waved his wand in a long sweeping motion, and everything in the room jumped into Harry's trunk. This included Hedwig's cage, with the bird in it. She squawked, annoyed. Harry lifted the cage out, looking pointedly at Ron.
"Sorry," Ron shrugged, grinning sheepishly. "I haven't really perfected it yet."
They dragged his belongings outside, where Mr. Weasley was waiting with a ripped magazine. "Still one minute left."
"Hang on," Harry said. He ran back inside. His "family" was sitting in the parlor. They looked up when he entered. "Ron's right. I'm not coming back here, ever. This year I'm going to be a legal adult in the wizarding world. So I thought I'd tell you what's on my mind. Dudley, you're a fat chit. You really should do something about that. It's not healthy. Uncle Vernon, you're an inconsiderate, intolerant hypocrite. Oh, did you two know Dudley goes around with his friends, smoking on street corners, drinking, beating up little kids?" They glanced quickly, surprised, at Dudley, before looking back at him.
"Aunt Petunia-" Whatever Harry was going to say, it flew from his mind when he looked at her. Her eyes were sad, and she gave him a small regretful smile. He nodded at her, then said, "Goodbye. Don't keep in touch."
"Harry! You've got fifteen seconds to get out here!"
He bolted out to the Weasleys and managed to grab Ron's hand as the Portkey took them back to the Burrow.
************************************************************************
"You two don't actually expect me to keep this secret all summer, do you?" Ginny demanded. Her arms were folded in front of her, and her right foot was tapping impatiently.
"You won't tell, will you Gin?"
"No, Ron, of course not. But I thought you would at least tell mum and dad. They wouldn't want to find out from anyone else."
"Fine! We'll tell them tonight, but only them! No one else gets to know. All right, Harry?"
"Yeah, fine, Ron." He squeezed Ron's hand briefly.
In the middle of their steak dinner, therefore, Ron put down his utensils. That was so surprising that at first even Ginny thought something was wrong. "Are you all right, Ron?" Mrs. Weasley asked nervously. She had never seen him *stop* eating in the middle of a meal.
"Yes. Um, I- and Harry- have something to tell you," he began, glancing at Harry. He smiled encouragingly. "Um, since last November, we've been, um…"
"Let me, Ron," Harry said, suddenly giddy. He was grinning from ear to ear. "Mr. And Mrs. Weasley, I'm in love with your son."
Ron's parents looked between their son and Harry. Ginny looked between her parents and Ron and Harry. Ron stared at Harry. "You are?"
Harry grinned embarrassedly, realizing that he had never told Ron he loved him. "Yeah. I really am."
Ron smiled, leaning over to kiss Harry's lips. "I love you too, Harry."
It was about that time that the Weasleys recovered from shock and began to speak. "Well, I must say I am surprised," Mr. Weasley said. "But, well, good for you."
"Oh, Ron! That's so wonderful!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed. She rushed around the table to hug him. Then she whirled on Harry, engulfing him in a tight hug as well.
"Uh, mum, let Harry breathe," Ginny grinned. Ron did not say anything, and as soon as Mrs. Weasley released him Harry discovered why. Having dropped the news on his parents, Ron resumed eating, with triple his previous appetite.
Harry had found that he liked his new relationship with Ron immensely. They did not do anything different from what they had done before, except that now there was kissing involved. They were both steadily becoming skilled in the art of snogging, simply by loads of practice.
On the night of the evening they told Ron's parents, Mrs. Weasley found numerous reasons to go up to Ron's room. When she left for the fifth time, Ron turned to Harry. "I almost get the feeling she doesn't trust us."
"I was almost getting the same feeling," Harry replied. "But at least now we're getting a second dessert."
During the second week of August their school letters came. Ron's and Harry's letters were identical, but enclosed along with Harry's was a separate note, handwritten by Dumbledore.
~* In preparation for leaving Hogwarts, I ask that you take an increasing interest in Defense, and study privately one night a week with the Defense professor. Please consider this carefully, as you personally are at greater risk than any other wizard.*~
Ginny, in one of her frequent strokes of genius, said quickly, "Mum, you can get our school supplies in Diagon Alley tomorrow. I have to meet Seamus in London, anyway, so we can go together."
With a flicker of a glance at the two boys, Mrs. Weasley sighed. "Well, all right."
"Ginny, thanks," Harry said when Ron's mother had left.
"Hey, don't mention it. I know you two have been trying to get more than fifteen minutes alone all summer. If mum didn't come into Ron's room to wake you two up every morning, you'd be sleeping in the same bed. I would hate it if mum walked in on me and Seamus snogging, I would hate to see it happen to you two as well." With a mischievous grin, she jogged up the stairs.
"Ginny is evil." Coincidentally, they had both said this at the same time.
When everyone had gone the next day, Harry and Ron did what they usually did. They played Quidditch. Sometime in the middle of this, they began to flirt and kiss, which eventually progressed into snogging, but they returned to Quidditch when they had finished.
A few hours into the afternoon, Mrs. Weasley and Ginny had still not returned, but another long-haired Weasley wandered into the backyard. This could only be Bill. Flying down to greet him, the boys clasped hands with him.
"Hey Ron, hey Harry," Bill said casually. "What's new?"
"Nothing," Ron said quickly. "Nothing at all." Harry rolled his eyes and Ron elbowed him in the ribs. "What are you doing here?"
"Thought I'd surprise mum. You know how she gets when we visit without notice. 'Oh, Bill, you're here! Oh, I wasn't expecting you, but how wonderful! I'll add some more chicken to the pot. Oh, today Ron learned to blow his nose with tissues, isn't that wonderful, Bill-'"
"Hey, shut up!" Ron shoved his brother.
Bill laughed. "Okay, whatever you say. So you're both on the Quidditch team, right? Do you know who the new captain is going to be?"
"Nope. We'll be voting right when school starts. Then we'll have to hold tryouts within the first two weeks."
"Oh, yeah, Harry, I've been thinking about that. We should probably chose reserve players, and stuff, younger ones I mean. All we'll need is one chaser, Katie's the only one leaving, but there'll be-"
"Sorry," Bill said, "But might I take your Firebolt for a spin, Harry? I promise to return it in perfect condition." He looked quite hopeful.
"Sure," Harry replied, offering him the broom. Bill took it and kicked off from the ground. "You were saying, Ron?"
"There will be…well, at least three seventh years on the team, including the Keeper and Seeker positions. I don't like the idea of there being a new Keeper and Seeker at the same time. You know, because then they'll have to train them both really quick, or else they'll have to be like you and not have to learn anything."
"Shut up, but I see your point. Hm, I wonder who the captain will be?"
"Probably you," Ron said. "You have the most experience on the team, and you've never lost us a game…never when it counted."
"Well, in third year-"
"Hey, that wasn't your fault! You fell off the broom! Come on, just because *Diggory* didn't- oh, I'm sorry, Harry." Ron had once again forgotten about Harry's guilt complex. "Sorry. Well, later on, when we're in my room, I'll make you feel better."
Harry smiled at him. "Thanks, Ron." He squeezed his hand quickly, letting go before Bill had a chance to catch them.
"Marvelous," Bill said, handing the Firebolt back. "I wish I had enough money to get one of my own."
"How's Fleur?" Harry asked, flashing Ron a sly glance. Ron stuck out his tongue.
"Oh, she's doing well. Her English is getting much better. And my 'French' is…" Bill coughed, cutting himself off. "Well, let's go inside, then."
Harry exchanged amused glances with Ron. Bill was embarrassed about his girlfriend! Harry had a hard time suppressing his laughter, but at least he managed. Ron, after half an hour of Bill looking awkward, burst out laughing, and he ending up holding his stomach on the floor. "Sorry- Bill. It's- just- so- funny!"
"Geez, Ron, get a grip," said Harry.
"Oh, I will," Ron answered, wiggling his eyebrows. Harry rolled his eyes again.
"You look a lot like Hermione when you do that," Bill commented.
Speak of the genius, and she appears- but not for another week. Harry and Ron were alerted to her presence by Ginny's squeal of delight at the appearance of her friend. They made their way downstairs, said hello, received their gifts, saw Ginny looking like a goddess, and found out that Hermione had been made Head Girl. Not that they couldn't have guessed.
"Congratulations, Hermione," Ron said when Harry had stepped on his foot.
"Yeah, we know you've been wanting this," Harry smiled.
"Thanks," she said. She did not seem as happy about it as they would have expected, but Harry did not think she would tell them if they asked. He left it alone. Ron had been distracted by the announcement of dinner.
Surprisingly, Harry and Ron found some odd enjoyment in watching Ginny and Hermione belly dancing. They even joined them at one point. "Well, you *are* gay," Ginny pointed out. Harry laughed at this, but Ron just shook his head at her with narrowed eyes.
One day Ginny and Hermione disappeared. When they returned, the youngest Weasley had a new haircut. Her hair now hung straight to her shoulders, with multitudes of chunky layers. The most surprising part, however, was that she now sported bright black streaks throughout her locks. Harry had not realized that bright black was a color. The boys both thought it looked great.
Mrs. Weasley was a bit shocked by the change. "You could have mentioned something to me."
"I wanted it to be a surprise."
"Oh, well. You do look beautiful, dear."
"Just imagine how it will look with my blue belly dancing outfit," Ginny said, grinning.
"You will not wear that around any boys."
"Mum, please."
And the summer passed thus. They managed to have all their homework done two days before school started, as a result of Hermione's urging. Harry got his Apparition license the day after Ginny came home transformed. He then joined Ron in Apparating to breakfast every morning. Ron, being seventeen since March, had gotten his license the day before he and his father took Harry away from the Dursleys.
"And we can do magic here, now. I think that after we graduate, we should go visit your cousin and take that pig thing to a new level."
"I think we should think it out more, but I agree with you. Maybe we can do something to my uncle, as well. He deserves it."
"What about your aunt?"
"No, just leave her out of it. It isn't her fault, anyway."
Harry went back to the day he had left. Why had Aunt Petunia suddenly been kind to him, offering him the only smile he had ever seen from her that was meant for him? Why had she suddenly acted as though she wished they had treated him better?
That was not the most puzzling bit. Why had he felt suddenly connected to her in a very significant way? Why did he feel as though she were trying to silently tell him her deepest secret?
Would he ever know the answers to these questions?
End Chapter 23
Hey, there you have it. Not extremely exciting, but I found parts of it humorous, and I personally love Ginny's hair now. Thank you all my reviewers! I love you!!
Have you met my friend Pluggy McPlugson?: You should all go and read this other story, called Pick Up the Pieces, by Lyra Silvertongue. It's so cute. We've decided to plug each other's stories because we came up with a few of the same ideas for the Head Boy/Girl thing, and because we're addicted to each other's stories. I love you Sarah!
Now go review. Thank you. Oh, right. Your confetti is chameleon. You may interpret that any way you wish. :)
If there was any change in the Dursleys during the year he had been gone, it was that they hated him even more. They glared when they looked at him and spat when they spoke to him. Keeping in mind that he would never come back there again, he managed to be civil, which only infuriated them.
After two weeks of this disdainful behavior, Harry was thinking of staying until his birthday passed, just so he could hex them all. However, one day his problems were solved, and he did not think twice about leaving.
He was just turning on the burner to cook breakfast when a knock sounded at the door. A rustling indicated Uncle Vernon rising from his chair, grumbling about people who visited early in the morning without calling first, to answer the door. When he pulled it open, Harry heard a voice that made him grin.
"Hi, I'm here to get Harry. He's leaving with me and never coming back."
Harry coughed back his laugh and went into the corridor. "Subtle, Ron."
"Why bother with subtlety? Come on, Dad's waiting outside with a portkey. We leave in fifteen minutes."
"Fifteen minutes! Are you kidding? Why didn't you tell me so I could get packed?"
"Well, I'll help you pack, Harry." He winked.
A slow smile spread across Harry's face. He wondered how the Dursleys would react… "You just want an excuse to touch my underwear."
"Harry! Don't be ridiculous! I don't need an excuse."
They both laughed, and then they kissed. Harry turned to see Uncle Vernon recoiling in horror. Dudley had just waddled into the room, and he exclaimed, "I *knew* you had to be a queer!"
In a heartbeat, both Ron's and Harry's wands had flown into their hands. "No, Harry, let me. After all, I'm the one who's of age now."
"Oh, yeah. Go ahead, Ron. A pig snout to go with that tail he removed."
Dudley squeaked and ran from the room. Or, he tried to run, but it was more of a quick waddle. Ron and Harry ran past him to Harry's room, where they burst out laughing. They wiped tears of mirth from their eyes when they had recovered, and then realized that they had approximately five minutes to pack everything Harry owned.
"Relax," Ron said. "Watch this."
He waved his wand in a long sweeping motion, and everything in the room jumped into Harry's trunk. This included Hedwig's cage, with the bird in it. She squawked, annoyed. Harry lifted the cage out, looking pointedly at Ron.
"Sorry," Ron shrugged, grinning sheepishly. "I haven't really perfected it yet."
They dragged his belongings outside, where Mr. Weasley was waiting with a ripped magazine. "Still one minute left."
"Hang on," Harry said. He ran back inside. His "family" was sitting in the parlor. They looked up when he entered. "Ron's right. I'm not coming back here, ever. This year I'm going to be a legal adult in the wizarding world. So I thought I'd tell you what's on my mind. Dudley, you're a fat chit. You really should do something about that. It's not healthy. Uncle Vernon, you're an inconsiderate, intolerant hypocrite. Oh, did you two know Dudley goes around with his friends, smoking on street corners, drinking, beating up little kids?" They glanced quickly, surprised, at Dudley, before looking back at him.
"Aunt Petunia-" Whatever Harry was going to say, it flew from his mind when he looked at her. Her eyes were sad, and she gave him a small regretful smile. He nodded at her, then said, "Goodbye. Don't keep in touch."
"Harry! You've got fifteen seconds to get out here!"
He bolted out to the Weasleys and managed to grab Ron's hand as the Portkey took them back to the Burrow.
************************************************************************
"You two don't actually expect me to keep this secret all summer, do you?" Ginny demanded. Her arms were folded in front of her, and her right foot was tapping impatiently.
"You won't tell, will you Gin?"
"No, Ron, of course not. But I thought you would at least tell mum and dad. They wouldn't want to find out from anyone else."
"Fine! We'll tell them tonight, but only them! No one else gets to know. All right, Harry?"
"Yeah, fine, Ron." He squeezed Ron's hand briefly.
In the middle of their steak dinner, therefore, Ron put down his utensils. That was so surprising that at first even Ginny thought something was wrong. "Are you all right, Ron?" Mrs. Weasley asked nervously. She had never seen him *stop* eating in the middle of a meal.
"Yes. Um, I- and Harry- have something to tell you," he began, glancing at Harry. He smiled encouragingly. "Um, since last November, we've been, um…"
"Let me, Ron," Harry said, suddenly giddy. He was grinning from ear to ear. "Mr. And Mrs. Weasley, I'm in love with your son."
Ron's parents looked between their son and Harry. Ginny looked between her parents and Ron and Harry. Ron stared at Harry. "You are?"
Harry grinned embarrassedly, realizing that he had never told Ron he loved him. "Yeah. I really am."
Ron smiled, leaning over to kiss Harry's lips. "I love you too, Harry."
It was about that time that the Weasleys recovered from shock and began to speak. "Well, I must say I am surprised," Mr. Weasley said. "But, well, good for you."
"Oh, Ron! That's so wonderful!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed. She rushed around the table to hug him. Then she whirled on Harry, engulfing him in a tight hug as well.
"Uh, mum, let Harry breathe," Ginny grinned. Ron did not say anything, and as soon as Mrs. Weasley released him Harry discovered why. Having dropped the news on his parents, Ron resumed eating, with triple his previous appetite.
Harry had found that he liked his new relationship with Ron immensely. They did not do anything different from what they had done before, except that now there was kissing involved. They were both steadily becoming skilled in the art of snogging, simply by loads of practice.
On the night of the evening they told Ron's parents, Mrs. Weasley found numerous reasons to go up to Ron's room. When she left for the fifth time, Ron turned to Harry. "I almost get the feeling she doesn't trust us."
"I was almost getting the same feeling," Harry replied. "But at least now we're getting a second dessert."
During the second week of August their school letters came. Ron's and Harry's letters were identical, but enclosed along with Harry's was a separate note, handwritten by Dumbledore.
~* In preparation for leaving Hogwarts, I ask that you take an increasing interest in Defense, and study privately one night a week with the Defense professor. Please consider this carefully, as you personally are at greater risk than any other wizard.*~
Ginny, in one of her frequent strokes of genius, said quickly, "Mum, you can get our school supplies in Diagon Alley tomorrow. I have to meet Seamus in London, anyway, so we can go together."
With a flicker of a glance at the two boys, Mrs. Weasley sighed. "Well, all right."
"Ginny, thanks," Harry said when Ron's mother had left.
"Hey, don't mention it. I know you two have been trying to get more than fifteen minutes alone all summer. If mum didn't come into Ron's room to wake you two up every morning, you'd be sleeping in the same bed. I would hate it if mum walked in on me and Seamus snogging, I would hate to see it happen to you two as well." With a mischievous grin, she jogged up the stairs.
"Ginny is evil." Coincidentally, they had both said this at the same time.
When everyone had gone the next day, Harry and Ron did what they usually did. They played Quidditch. Sometime in the middle of this, they began to flirt and kiss, which eventually progressed into snogging, but they returned to Quidditch when they had finished.
A few hours into the afternoon, Mrs. Weasley and Ginny had still not returned, but another long-haired Weasley wandered into the backyard. This could only be Bill. Flying down to greet him, the boys clasped hands with him.
"Hey Ron, hey Harry," Bill said casually. "What's new?"
"Nothing," Ron said quickly. "Nothing at all." Harry rolled his eyes and Ron elbowed him in the ribs. "What are you doing here?"
"Thought I'd surprise mum. You know how she gets when we visit without notice. 'Oh, Bill, you're here! Oh, I wasn't expecting you, but how wonderful! I'll add some more chicken to the pot. Oh, today Ron learned to blow his nose with tissues, isn't that wonderful, Bill-'"
"Hey, shut up!" Ron shoved his brother.
Bill laughed. "Okay, whatever you say. So you're both on the Quidditch team, right? Do you know who the new captain is going to be?"
"Nope. We'll be voting right when school starts. Then we'll have to hold tryouts within the first two weeks."
"Oh, yeah, Harry, I've been thinking about that. We should probably chose reserve players, and stuff, younger ones I mean. All we'll need is one chaser, Katie's the only one leaving, but there'll be-"
"Sorry," Bill said, "But might I take your Firebolt for a spin, Harry? I promise to return it in perfect condition." He looked quite hopeful.
"Sure," Harry replied, offering him the broom. Bill took it and kicked off from the ground. "You were saying, Ron?"
"There will be…well, at least three seventh years on the team, including the Keeper and Seeker positions. I don't like the idea of there being a new Keeper and Seeker at the same time. You know, because then they'll have to train them both really quick, or else they'll have to be like you and not have to learn anything."
"Shut up, but I see your point. Hm, I wonder who the captain will be?"
"Probably you," Ron said. "You have the most experience on the team, and you've never lost us a game…never when it counted."
"Well, in third year-"
"Hey, that wasn't your fault! You fell off the broom! Come on, just because *Diggory* didn't- oh, I'm sorry, Harry." Ron had once again forgotten about Harry's guilt complex. "Sorry. Well, later on, when we're in my room, I'll make you feel better."
Harry smiled at him. "Thanks, Ron." He squeezed his hand quickly, letting go before Bill had a chance to catch them.
"Marvelous," Bill said, handing the Firebolt back. "I wish I had enough money to get one of my own."
"How's Fleur?" Harry asked, flashing Ron a sly glance. Ron stuck out his tongue.
"Oh, she's doing well. Her English is getting much better. And my 'French' is…" Bill coughed, cutting himself off. "Well, let's go inside, then."
Harry exchanged amused glances with Ron. Bill was embarrassed about his girlfriend! Harry had a hard time suppressing his laughter, but at least he managed. Ron, after half an hour of Bill looking awkward, burst out laughing, and he ending up holding his stomach on the floor. "Sorry- Bill. It's- just- so- funny!"
"Geez, Ron, get a grip," said Harry.
"Oh, I will," Ron answered, wiggling his eyebrows. Harry rolled his eyes again.
"You look a lot like Hermione when you do that," Bill commented.
Speak of the genius, and she appears- but not for another week. Harry and Ron were alerted to her presence by Ginny's squeal of delight at the appearance of her friend. They made their way downstairs, said hello, received their gifts, saw Ginny looking like a goddess, and found out that Hermione had been made Head Girl. Not that they couldn't have guessed.
"Congratulations, Hermione," Ron said when Harry had stepped on his foot.
"Yeah, we know you've been wanting this," Harry smiled.
"Thanks," she said. She did not seem as happy about it as they would have expected, but Harry did not think she would tell them if they asked. He left it alone. Ron had been distracted by the announcement of dinner.
Surprisingly, Harry and Ron found some odd enjoyment in watching Ginny and Hermione belly dancing. They even joined them at one point. "Well, you *are* gay," Ginny pointed out. Harry laughed at this, but Ron just shook his head at her with narrowed eyes.
One day Ginny and Hermione disappeared. When they returned, the youngest Weasley had a new haircut. Her hair now hung straight to her shoulders, with multitudes of chunky layers. The most surprising part, however, was that she now sported bright black streaks throughout her locks. Harry had not realized that bright black was a color. The boys both thought it looked great.
Mrs. Weasley was a bit shocked by the change. "You could have mentioned something to me."
"I wanted it to be a surprise."
"Oh, well. You do look beautiful, dear."
"Just imagine how it will look with my blue belly dancing outfit," Ginny said, grinning.
"You will not wear that around any boys."
"Mum, please."
And the summer passed thus. They managed to have all their homework done two days before school started, as a result of Hermione's urging. Harry got his Apparition license the day after Ginny came home transformed. He then joined Ron in Apparating to breakfast every morning. Ron, being seventeen since March, had gotten his license the day before he and his father took Harry away from the Dursleys.
"And we can do magic here, now. I think that after we graduate, we should go visit your cousin and take that pig thing to a new level."
"I think we should think it out more, but I agree with you. Maybe we can do something to my uncle, as well. He deserves it."
"What about your aunt?"
"No, just leave her out of it. It isn't her fault, anyway."
Harry went back to the day he had left. Why had Aunt Petunia suddenly been kind to him, offering him the only smile he had ever seen from her that was meant for him? Why had she suddenly acted as though she wished they had treated him better?
That was not the most puzzling bit. Why had he felt suddenly connected to her in a very significant way? Why did he feel as though she were trying to silently tell him her deepest secret?
Would he ever know the answers to these questions?
End Chapter 23
Hey, there you have it. Not extremely exciting, but I found parts of it humorous, and I personally love Ginny's hair now. Thank you all my reviewers! I love you!!
Have you met my friend Pluggy McPlugson?: You should all go and read this other story, called Pick Up the Pieces, by Lyra Silvertongue. It's so cute. We've decided to plug each other's stories because we came up with a few of the same ideas for the Head Boy/Girl thing, and because we're addicted to each other's stories. I love you Sarah!
Now go review. Thank you. Oh, right. Your confetti is chameleon. You may interpret that any way you wish. :)