Chapter 6: Ron the tea leaf
Harry and Ron were in the library doing research for a Herbology essay. It had been several days since the big breakfast performance and Ron was trying to keep a low profile until all the name calling died down. The library was the perfect place to be left alone, and ponder and reflect on how to cope with his possible newfound power.
Hermione still wasn't speaking to him but yesterday he had found a piece of parchment on his bed with the words "I believe you." scribed in elegant handwriting. It had to be her he thought, and hoped to talk to her soon. Harry on the other hand did not talk about the breakfast at all, and Ron was glad for it, since he had heard enough Seer talk from the rest of the school. He did defend Ron against the onslaught, saying stuff like, "Ron's not a Seer you are!", and "Your face is!", but to be honest Ron wasn't sure if Harry still thought the whole thing was a joke.
Sometimes, Ron wished this whole thing was a joke. After all the whole school certainly thought so, and even Professor Trelawney said his type of prophecy wasn't real.
However deep inside, he couldn't deny he had made two prophecies. And he quivered when he recalled the haunting words of his second. Was someone really actively plotting to destroy his power? If so, how and when would he have to face this foe? Should he start preparing for battle?
"Well, well, well....what have we here?" Harry and Ron wheeled around. Their eyes met the pale pointed face of Draco Malfoy, his hair moussed, his mouth in a smirk. They both glared at him with looks of utmost hatred. Malfoy was one of the leaders of the "Insulting Ron the Seer " movement.
"It's the happy couple... Seer face, and scar face!" said Malfoy nastily.
Harry rolled his eyes. "Honestly, can your calls get any more lame, Malfoy breath?" he retorted.
Malfoy ignored the fact that Potter had just rocked himself and pulled out a parchment from his robes. "I've just done a school survey of the best nick names for the Weasel. I'm sure you would like to hear the results? Let's see now...oh yes...
"Coming in third place, 'Ronnie the freckled face Prophie'...combines both your Seeriness and your ugliness in the one phrase!"
"In second place, 'Breakfast Boofhead' I like the boof part the best!"
"But the winner by far would have to be 'Ron the Tea leaf'...hahahaha which makes sense... you do look awfully like a tea leaf now, don't you?"
Ron laughed. "Let me guess... you came up with all the names, you're the only one who ever used them, and you we're the only one who took the survey?"
"Shut up, tea leaf."
"Are you done?" said Harry. "Or would you like to sit down? We saved you a seat...it's over there in that far corner."
"Sure I'll gladly leave, if you make a prediction for me..." said Malfoy grinning evilly. "Tell me Teacup, how many guys will your sister get through before she leaves school? A hundred or two?"
Ron stood up, his fists clenched.
"Hmmm I dunno...how many fragments can I break your jaw into? " said Ron challengingly.
"Please, no need for threats, I'll gladly leave the likes of you." said Malfoy coolly. "For now, I'll be off to read the Daily Prophet. Or should I say the Daily Weasel? Haha!"
It was at that moment, across the room, that Ron caught sight of someone familiar, browsing the shelves. It was Hermione. Their eyes met and she looked awkwardly at him at first, but then gave him a small smile. It gave Ron an idea. Quickly he pointed at the bookcase near Hermonie, gave her a wink then called out to Malfoy.
"Hey Malfoy!"
"What now, Weasel?" drawled Malfoy, turning around.
"I've got another... uh... prophecy for you!"
Malfoy smiled in delight. "Really... like what? The sun will rise tomorrow? Or your family will be poor for the rest of eternity?"
"Nope. It's a warning. You must be very careful, and watch yourself, where ever you go...as I foresee that you are destined to meet pain head on..." he said mystically and loud enough for everyone around to hear, then glanced again at Hermione. Hermione looked puzzled for a second, but soon got the hint, and grinned back. Softly she said a spell, and the bookshelf quietly slid directly behind Malfoy.
Malfoy mused. "Is that a threat, Weasel?"
"I don't do threats. I only report what my inner Eye sees..." he said coolly. "Beware....prophecies happen surprisingly soon, especially if the person is a complete idiot..."
Malfoy laughed. "How long did it take you to memorize that Tea-face, a week? Honestly...you think that's going to scare me? How stupid do you think I am???"
And with that he turned to walk off, and BANG, smacked head first into the bookcase, sending books crashing painfully down upon him. He fell hard backwards, and started to curl up on the floor, screaming "My eye, my eye!".
Everyone who saw the scene laughed their heads off. Hermione came out from behind the bookcase beaming and gave Ron a hug.
"I'm so sorry Ron. I really do believe you! I've been wanting to tell you how wrong I was ever since I saw what happened at breakfast..." She said.
"Well actually thanks to you, I'm officially a Seer. I mean, this is the first of my prophecies that has actually come true." said Ron grinning. "And look....I'm sorry about the other night..."
"Hey..." she gave a nervous laugh. "It was my fault for...well...let's just say its cool..." she said.
"Cool." stated Ron and hugged her again.
Harry was giving the bookcase an extra jiggle to make sure any remaining books on the shelf landed on the groaning target.
"That was brilliant!" he said. "And hey, we don't need a list to know the top three nick names for Malfoy...they're git, git and git."
They all laughed again.
"Damn right." said Ron.
"Followed by Malfoy breath, in the highly recommended section." Said Harry.
"Er...yes... " lied Ron.
Harry and Ron were in the library doing research for a Herbology essay. It had been several days since the big breakfast performance and Ron was trying to keep a low profile until all the name calling died down. The library was the perfect place to be left alone, and ponder and reflect on how to cope with his possible newfound power.
Hermione still wasn't speaking to him but yesterday he had found a piece of parchment on his bed with the words "I believe you." scribed in elegant handwriting. It had to be her he thought, and hoped to talk to her soon. Harry on the other hand did not talk about the breakfast at all, and Ron was glad for it, since he had heard enough Seer talk from the rest of the school. He did defend Ron against the onslaught, saying stuff like, "Ron's not a Seer you are!", and "Your face is!", but to be honest Ron wasn't sure if Harry still thought the whole thing was a joke.
Sometimes, Ron wished this whole thing was a joke. After all the whole school certainly thought so, and even Professor Trelawney said his type of prophecy wasn't real.
However deep inside, he couldn't deny he had made two prophecies. And he quivered when he recalled the haunting words of his second. Was someone really actively plotting to destroy his power? If so, how and when would he have to face this foe? Should he start preparing for battle?
"Well, well, well....what have we here?" Harry and Ron wheeled around. Their eyes met the pale pointed face of Draco Malfoy, his hair moussed, his mouth in a smirk. They both glared at him with looks of utmost hatred. Malfoy was one of the leaders of the "Insulting Ron the Seer " movement.
"It's the happy couple... Seer face, and scar face!" said Malfoy nastily.
Harry rolled his eyes. "Honestly, can your calls get any more lame, Malfoy breath?" he retorted.
Malfoy ignored the fact that Potter had just rocked himself and pulled out a parchment from his robes. "I've just done a school survey of the best nick names for the Weasel. I'm sure you would like to hear the results? Let's see now...oh yes...
"Coming in third place, 'Ronnie the freckled face Prophie'...combines both your Seeriness and your ugliness in the one phrase!"
"In second place, 'Breakfast Boofhead' I like the boof part the best!"
"But the winner by far would have to be 'Ron the Tea leaf'...hahahaha which makes sense... you do look awfully like a tea leaf now, don't you?"
Ron laughed. "Let me guess... you came up with all the names, you're the only one who ever used them, and you we're the only one who took the survey?"
"Shut up, tea leaf."
"Are you done?" said Harry. "Or would you like to sit down? We saved you a seat...it's over there in that far corner."
"Sure I'll gladly leave, if you make a prediction for me..." said Malfoy grinning evilly. "Tell me Teacup, how many guys will your sister get through before she leaves school? A hundred or two?"
Ron stood up, his fists clenched.
"Hmmm I dunno...how many fragments can I break your jaw into? " said Ron challengingly.
"Please, no need for threats, I'll gladly leave the likes of you." said Malfoy coolly. "For now, I'll be off to read the Daily Prophet. Or should I say the Daily Weasel? Haha!"
It was at that moment, across the room, that Ron caught sight of someone familiar, browsing the shelves. It was Hermione. Their eyes met and she looked awkwardly at him at first, but then gave him a small smile. It gave Ron an idea. Quickly he pointed at the bookcase near Hermonie, gave her a wink then called out to Malfoy.
"Hey Malfoy!"
"What now, Weasel?" drawled Malfoy, turning around.
"I've got another... uh... prophecy for you!"
Malfoy smiled in delight. "Really... like what? The sun will rise tomorrow? Or your family will be poor for the rest of eternity?"
"Nope. It's a warning. You must be very careful, and watch yourself, where ever you go...as I foresee that you are destined to meet pain head on..." he said mystically and loud enough for everyone around to hear, then glanced again at Hermione. Hermione looked puzzled for a second, but soon got the hint, and grinned back. Softly she said a spell, and the bookshelf quietly slid directly behind Malfoy.
Malfoy mused. "Is that a threat, Weasel?"
"I don't do threats. I only report what my inner Eye sees..." he said coolly. "Beware....prophecies happen surprisingly soon, especially if the person is a complete idiot..."
Malfoy laughed. "How long did it take you to memorize that Tea-face, a week? Honestly...you think that's going to scare me? How stupid do you think I am???"
And with that he turned to walk off, and BANG, smacked head first into the bookcase, sending books crashing painfully down upon him. He fell hard backwards, and started to curl up on the floor, screaming "My eye, my eye!".
Everyone who saw the scene laughed their heads off. Hermione came out from behind the bookcase beaming and gave Ron a hug.
"I'm so sorry Ron. I really do believe you! I've been wanting to tell you how wrong I was ever since I saw what happened at breakfast..." She said.
"Well actually thanks to you, I'm officially a Seer. I mean, this is the first of my prophecies that has actually come true." said Ron grinning. "And look....I'm sorry about the other night..."
"Hey..." she gave a nervous laugh. "It was my fault for...well...let's just say its cool..." she said.
"Cool." stated Ron and hugged her again.
Harry was giving the bookcase an extra jiggle to make sure any remaining books on the shelf landed on the groaning target.
"That was brilliant!" he said. "And hey, we don't need a list to know the top three nick names for Malfoy...they're git, git and git."
They all laughed again.
"Damn right." said Ron.
"Followed by Malfoy breath, in the highly recommended section." Said Harry.
"Er...yes... " lied Ron.