November
The Quidditch match between Slytherin & Gryffindor, naturally, was cancelled, as was the Halloween trip to London. The mood in the Gryffindor tower was reflected in the weather. The sky turned steely grey and freezing winds blasted against the castle, and down corridors when Peeves opened windows to appease his odd sense of humour.
Harry fully expected Malfoy to merciless taunt Ron about Percy, but he remained oddly close-mouthed about the subject. Instead, he had an evil look about him, as if he knew something, but couldn't tell anyone. Yet inside, it was striving to breakout.
In fact theonly objectionable thing Malfoy did was to remove Hermione's voice; at least Harry and the others had a few hours of peace while she couldn't speak. She soon made up for it once the counter curse had been performed, and went to see Profeesor Mcgonagall after ranting about Malfoy for half an hour.
"Why is Malfoy doing this?" pondered Ginny later that evening as they sat in the common room.
"How thick are you?" chided Ron. "He's doing it because he's a git. He's done all of us except Harry, and that's only because he's scared of him."
"I don't think so. He's probably just practising on you, and planing something even worse for me" surmised Harry. "After all, his father in Azkaban because of me, and I freed Dobby.
Hermione stormed back through the common room door, with a face like thunder. She dropped into the chair, folded her arms and crossed her legs.
"So what did McGonagall say then" asked Ron nervously.
"Proof. She wanted proof" said Hermione sharply.
Percy survived into mid November, then passed away as a result of complications and an illness from which he didn't recover. On the day of his funeral the banners in the great hall were changed to black as a mark of respect for the former head boy. Harry, Hermione & the Weasleys were given the day off school to attend the service which took place in a small church outside Otterly St Catchpole.
No one could work out why Percy was attacked; he wasn't involved with The Order. Perhaps it was because he was a Weasley, but he had effectively disowned the rest of the family. Maybe he knew some sensitive information from when he worked with Fudge, and someone was keen that it wasn't released.
Ron suffered mood swings from feelings of great loss and helplessness to anger and started to argue with those closest to him, namely Harry, Ginny & Hermione. Harry could relate to Ron & Ginny having lost Sirius a few months earlier. Talking about it to Ron seemed to make the pain less raw. Ron felt guilty for believing Percy was a traitor to the family.
Ginny, on the other hand, became quiet and withdrawn. This caused great concern, until Ginny eventually exploded one morning in the common room, following a 'coping with loss' lecture from Hermione.
"I was only trying to help"
"Do you thnk I care what you say. "What do you know about it Granger?" Ginny yelled, screwing up her face and stamping her feet. "Nothing. That's what. Nothing."
"I'm really sorry" Hermione said, biting her bottom lip, as she did when she got nervous.
"You've never had something like his happen to you" Ginny screeched "What do your stupid books tell you about it? Nothing. So leave me alone"
She turned round a stomped back upstairs to her dormitory, crying.
"At least she's not bottling it up anymore" said Harry. "she'll probably thank you for it later"
"Maybe."
Harry, Ron & Hermione went down for breakfast. The owl's arrived with the morning post, Hermione received two packages, the Daily Prophet and a letter from Hagrid.
"Hagrid wants to borrow Crookshanks this afternoon for his class" she read aloud
"What for?" asked Ron "cats aren't very magical are they"
"Did you learn nothing in Care of Magical Creatures last year?" sighed Hermione
"I got an OWL"
"Crookshanks isn't a cat" started Hermione
"Looks like a cat and sounds like a cat, so it must be a cat" reasoned Ron
Hermione shrugged her shoulders and opened the paper. Lord Voldemort's activities, real and speculative, were constantly reported in the Daily Prophet. This morning's edition ran with the headline;
DARK MARK SEEN AGAIN The Ministry of Magic has been rocked by claims that it has been covering up attacks by Death Eaters and Dementors, the former allies of You Know Who.
The Hogwarts Express is said to have been the first target. It is reported that the train fell victim to an attack by the Dementors, the soul-sucking former Azkaban guards.
Since then, several attacks have been reported, but remain unverifiable. However, the appearance of the Dark Mark over a public park in Wolverhampton has been linked to reports of missing local warlock Thomas Portland, a prominent member of the Ministry's Unspeakables task force.
"I hate him" said Ron, reading Hermione's copy of the paper at the breakfast table
"Who? Portland?"
"No. That Voldemort. And his death eaters"
"Yeah. What are we doing today?" asked Harry, changing the subject before Ron started to rant about what he would do the next time he found a dark wizard.
"Don't know, don't care" mumbled Ron
"Hmm. Muggle studies"
"Not to bad then" said Ron
Breakfast was finished in silence, and they made their way along the cold, draphtey corridors to the muggle studies room. There were occasions when Ron came out of his depression. Professor Avis's classes were some of them, although Mr Weasley hadn't given a lecture for a while,
Today's lesson was exceptionally good. As they took their places Professor Avis wheeled in a large screen television.
"Who knows what this is?" asked the Professor, gesturing to the television.
Harry, of course, knew, but those students not familiar with muggle technology look bemused. Professor Avis assured them that the workings of the television and the video recorder would not be examined, only the influence on muggle culture.
"As a bit of light entertainment we are going to be studying muggle magic today. This is important for two reasons; firstly to demonstrate the workings of the technology, and secondly, how muggles perceive magic"
The first part of the lesson was taken up with explanations covering how to plug the equipment in and operate it. Only when the video was fed into the machine did Harry awake from his day dream.
Pete Daniels & Debbie McDonald were the first act, and they performed the cutting a lady in half trick.
"Why would anyone want to do that?" asked Parvati as Pete Daniels began cutting the box with his assistant inside with an enormous saw. "It's stupid. She's so obviously got her legs tucked up inside the box"
Ron looked disappointed that there was no blood. The next performer was an illusionist, Billy Copperfield. This was slightly more impressive, and the majority of the class believed that he had transfigured an elephant into a mouse. The illusion was shattered when Professor Avis told them it was all done with smoke and mirrors.
The final act reduced the class to hysterics; Timmy Cooper. Harry recognised the classic footage, having seen it with the Dursleys. Timmy had two cardboard tubes, muttered some 'magic' words that where really only nonsense and produce a bottle from them. Then his hand would go under the table, pick up another bottle, he'd mutter his magic words and produce the bottle from the tube.
When the lesson finished Harry & Ron were in better spirits. They traipsed up to Hagrid's hut across the large expanse of grass near the lake.
He noticed a small bubbling under the lake, which reminded him of the giant squid that resided there, as well as how much of the wizarding world he had begun to take for granted.
A familiar warm light shone from the window of Hagrid's wooden hut, which increased in intensity as he opened the door warily, holding a large club of some sort. He looked across at the three students, and smiled whilst lowering the weapon.
"Well, it's nice teh' see yeh three," he exclaimed, ushering them inside. They obeyed, and sat themselves down around Hagrid's kitchen table. He walked towards the stove and lit it.
"Cup o' tea?" he asked.
"Yes please," Hermione replied, whilst Harry and Ron nodded their replies in conjunction. Hagrid smiled.
"I haven' seen yeh at all today, what with yeh no longer takin' Care o' Magical Creatures," he said, conversationally. Harry suddenly felt very guilty.
"It isn't because..." he began, but Hagrid cut him off with a chuckle.
"Here, I know it ain't because o' me, I reckoned yeh fancied yerselves as Aurors," he replied.
"Yeah, why else would we willingly take Potions?" Ron asked, sarcastically. Hagrid chuckled.
"I know yeh've grown up five years since I firs' met yeh, but some things ne'er change," he laughed.
"How are you, Hagrid?" Hermione asked, swinging her legs on the great chair she was sitting upon as she stirred her tea.
"Pretty good, thanks."
"How's Grawp?"
"A'right. Is english is bet'r, like mine is"
Ron smirked and was elbowed in the ribs by Hermione
"I've been teachin' 'im some sen'ences and stuff. He recognises me though, so I reckon tha's as good a sign as anythin'. Anyway," he added conspiratorially, "he might be useful, yer know, in the War an' all."
"What happened with the Centaurs?" asked Hermione, remembering that the last time she saw Grawp he was chasing them through the forest.
"Ahh, yer, erm," mumbled Hagrid, clearly wishing that she hadn't asked. "Erm, thin' is, erm after 'e, er, squashed a few of 'em" Hagrid stared at his large feet, not looking at Hermione's horrified expression.
"They decided to leave the forest"
For a while no one said anything, then Hermione managed to squeak "That's really bad"
Harry disagreed; he was quite pleased about the departure of a few arrogant horses "That's upset the equilibrium in the forest" she continued Ron, Hagrid and Harry looked at her blankly.
"There's a new top predator" she said in exasperation This explanation didn't have the effect she was hoping "Grawp is now racing round eating whatever comes across his path" she continued "Yeh, true" agreed Hagrid "'e was eatin' on of 'em spiders the other day"
Ron went pale.
"'e start'd by pullin off 'is legs..." Ron dashed from his seat to the large white kitchen sink on the other side of the Hagrid's wooden hut, and hung his head inside it.
"'n then, 'e bit it's 'ead off"
Ron started coughing "'n the other day, I caught 'im chewin' 'arf dozen up. Could see all their legs 'angin' out o' 'is mouth"
The sound of Ron retching and the splatter of his breakfast on the bottom of the sink interrupted Hagrid.
"Oh. Sorry. I forgot yeh don't like 'em" apologised Hagrid Hermione looked at Harry then rolled her eyes.
Despite the fiercely glowing fire in front of him, Harry suddenly felt himself grow cold. He saw Hermione give him a furtive glance, but he purposely didn't look back.
"So, how's yer classes been?" Hagrid asked.
"Not bad," Harry replied, shaking himself out of his reverie.
"Charms was so much more complex than last year! It was great...!"
"Potions is still a nightmare..."
Hagrid chuckled.
Harry's DA meeting that evening was much less successful. They tried the hallucination jinx which left half the class giggling on the floor at the strange shapes chasing each other around the room for half an hour while Hermione looked up the counter jinx. Unfortunately when it was Ron's turn, he saw dementors, and ran up and down the corridors shouting and trying to cast the patronus charm.
Such was his terror that he had to be stunned before the counter jinx could be applied.
The following morning, as they sat at the breakfast table Ron looked ashamed of himself again.
"Don't worry about it" said Hermione "it's a natural reaction to what's happened. Harry was feeling exactly the same after Cedric and Sirius died, weren't you Harry"
"Yeah" he replied, really wanting Hermione not to drag up the past. "Don't worry about it"
The arrival of the owls brought a letter for Ron and a change of subject.
"Mum's cancelled Christmas this year" he read gloomily
"Well I suppose that under the circumstances" said Hermione
"Wait. She's written that we will be having a meal on Christmas day and you both are invited, if you want"
Harry said "Yes" immediately, but Hermione wanted to ask her parents first.
The Quidditch match between Slytherin & Gryffindor, naturally, was cancelled, as was the Halloween trip to London. The mood in the Gryffindor tower was reflected in the weather. The sky turned steely grey and freezing winds blasted against the castle, and down corridors when Peeves opened windows to appease his odd sense of humour.
Harry fully expected Malfoy to merciless taunt Ron about Percy, but he remained oddly close-mouthed about the subject. Instead, he had an evil look about him, as if he knew something, but couldn't tell anyone. Yet inside, it was striving to breakout.
In fact theonly objectionable thing Malfoy did was to remove Hermione's voice; at least Harry and the others had a few hours of peace while she couldn't speak. She soon made up for it once the counter curse had been performed, and went to see Profeesor Mcgonagall after ranting about Malfoy for half an hour.
"Why is Malfoy doing this?" pondered Ginny later that evening as they sat in the common room.
"How thick are you?" chided Ron. "He's doing it because he's a git. He's done all of us except Harry, and that's only because he's scared of him."
"I don't think so. He's probably just practising on you, and planing something even worse for me" surmised Harry. "After all, his father in Azkaban because of me, and I freed Dobby.
Hermione stormed back through the common room door, with a face like thunder. She dropped into the chair, folded her arms and crossed her legs.
"So what did McGonagall say then" asked Ron nervously.
"Proof. She wanted proof" said Hermione sharply.
Percy survived into mid November, then passed away as a result of complications and an illness from which he didn't recover. On the day of his funeral the banners in the great hall were changed to black as a mark of respect for the former head boy. Harry, Hermione & the Weasleys were given the day off school to attend the service which took place in a small church outside Otterly St Catchpole.
No one could work out why Percy was attacked; he wasn't involved with The Order. Perhaps it was because he was a Weasley, but he had effectively disowned the rest of the family. Maybe he knew some sensitive information from when he worked with Fudge, and someone was keen that it wasn't released.
Ron suffered mood swings from feelings of great loss and helplessness to anger and started to argue with those closest to him, namely Harry, Ginny & Hermione. Harry could relate to Ron & Ginny having lost Sirius a few months earlier. Talking about it to Ron seemed to make the pain less raw. Ron felt guilty for believing Percy was a traitor to the family.
Ginny, on the other hand, became quiet and withdrawn. This caused great concern, until Ginny eventually exploded one morning in the common room, following a 'coping with loss' lecture from Hermione.
"I was only trying to help"
"Do you thnk I care what you say. "What do you know about it Granger?" Ginny yelled, screwing up her face and stamping her feet. "Nothing. That's what. Nothing."
"I'm really sorry" Hermione said, biting her bottom lip, as she did when she got nervous.
"You've never had something like his happen to you" Ginny screeched "What do your stupid books tell you about it? Nothing. So leave me alone"
She turned round a stomped back upstairs to her dormitory, crying.
"At least she's not bottling it up anymore" said Harry. "she'll probably thank you for it later"
"Maybe."
Harry, Ron & Hermione went down for breakfast. The owl's arrived with the morning post, Hermione received two packages, the Daily Prophet and a letter from Hagrid.
"Hagrid wants to borrow Crookshanks this afternoon for his class" she read aloud
"What for?" asked Ron "cats aren't very magical are they"
"Did you learn nothing in Care of Magical Creatures last year?" sighed Hermione
"I got an OWL"
"Crookshanks isn't a cat" started Hermione
"Looks like a cat and sounds like a cat, so it must be a cat" reasoned Ron
Hermione shrugged her shoulders and opened the paper. Lord Voldemort's activities, real and speculative, were constantly reported in the Daily Prophet. This morning's edition ran with the headline;
DARK MARK SEEN AGAIN The Ministry of Magic has been rocked by claims that it has been covering up attacks by Death Eaters and Dementors, the former allies of You Know Who.
The Hogwarts Express is said to have been the first target. It is reported that the train fell victim to an attack by the Dementors, the soul-sucking former Azkaban guards.
Since then, several attacks have been reported, but remain unverifiable. However, the appearance of the Dark Mark over a public park in Wolverhampton has been linked to reports of missing local warlock Thomas Portland, a prominent member of the Ministry's Unspeakables task force.
"I hate him" said Ron, reading Hermione's copy of the paper at the breakfast table
"Who? Portland?"
"No. That Voldemort. And his death eaters"
"Yeah. What are we doing today?" asked Harry, changing the subject before Ron started to rant about what he would do the next time he found a dark wizard.
"Don't know, don't care" mumbled Ron
"Hmm. Muggle studies"
"Not to bad then" said Ron
Breakfast was finished in silence, and they made their way along the cold, draphtey corridors to the muggle studies room. There were occasions when Ron came out of his depression. Professor Avis's classes were some of them, although Mr Weasley hadn't given a lecture for a while,
Today's lesson was exceptionally good. As they took their places Professor Avis wheeled in a large screen television.
"Who knows what this is?" asked the Professor, gesturing to the television.
Harry, of course, knew, but those students not familiar with muggle technology look bemused. Professor Avis assured them that the workings of the television and the video recorder would not be examined, only the influence on muggle culture.
"As a bit of light entertainment we are going to be studying muggle magic today. This is important for two reasons; firstly to demonstrate the workings of the technology, and secondly, how muggles perceive magic"
The first part of the lesson was taken up with explanations covering how to plug the equipment in and operate it. Only when the video was fed into the machine did Harry awake from his day dream.
Pete Daniels & Debbie McDonald were the first act, and they performed the cutting a lady in half trick.
"Why would anyone want to do that?" asked Parvati as Pete Daniels began cutting the box with his assistant inside with an enormous saw. "It's stupid. She's so obviously got her legs tucked up inside the box"
Ron looked disappointed that there was no blood. The next performer was an illusionist, Billy Copperfield. This was slightly more impressive, and the majority of the class believed that he had transfigured an elephant into a mouse. The illusion was shattered when Professor Avis told them it was all done with smoke and mirrors.
The final act reduced the class to hysterics; Timmy Cooper. Harry recognised the classic footage, having seen it with the Dursleys. Timmy had two cardboard tubes, muttered some 'magic' words that where really only nonsense and produce a bottle from them. Then his hand would go under the table, pick up another bottle, he'd mutter his magic words and produce the bottle from the tube.
When the lesson finished Harry & Ron were in better spirits. They traipsed up to Hagrid's hut across the large expanse of grass near the lake.
He noticed a small bubbling under the lake, which reminded him of the giant squid that resided there, as well as how much of the wizarding world he had begun to take for granted.
A familiar warm light shone from the window of Hagrid's wooden hut, which increased in intensity as he opened the door warily, holding a large club of some sort. He looked across at the three students, and smiled whilst lowering the weapon.
"Well, it's nice teh' see yeh three," he exclaimed, ushering them inside. They obeyed, and sat themselves down around Hagrid's kitchen table. He walked towards the stove and lit it.
"Cup o' tea?" he asked.
"Yes please," Hermione replied, whilst Harry and Ron nodded their replies in conjunction. Hagrid smiled.
"I haven' seen yeh at all today, what with yeh no longer takin' Care o' Magical Creatures," he said, conversationally. Harry suddenly felt very guilty.
"It isn't because..." he began, but Hagrid cut him off with a chuckle.
"Here, I know it ain't because o' me, I reckoned yeh fancied yerselves as Aurors," he replied.
"Yeah, why else would we willingly take Potions?" Ron asked, sarcastically. Hagrid chuckled.
"I know yeh've grown up five years since I firs' met yeh, but some things ne'er change," he laughed.
"How are you, Hagrid?" Hermione asked, swinging her legs on the great chair she was sitting upon as she stirred her tea.
"Pretty good, thanks."
"How's Grawp?"
"A'right. Is english is bet'r, like mine is"
Ron smirked and was elbowed in the ribs by Hermione
"I've been teachin' 'im some sen'ences and stuff. He recognises me though, so I reckon tha's as good a sign as anythin'. Anyway," he added conspiratorially, "he might be useful, yer know, in the War an' all."
"What happened with the Centaurs?" asked Hermione, remembering that the last time she saw Grawp he was chasing them through the forest.
"Ahh, yer, erm," mumbled Hagrid, clearly wishing that she hadn't asked. "Erm, thin' is, erm after 'e, er, squashed a few of 'em" Hagrid stared at his large feet, not looking at Hermione's horrified expression.
"They decided to leave the forest"
For a while no one said anything, then Hermione managed to squeak "That's really bad"
Harry disagreed; he was quite pleased about the departure of a few arrogant horses "That's upset the equilibrium in the forest" she continued Ron, Hagrid and Harry looked at her blankly.
"There's a new top predator" she said in exasperation This explanation didn't have the effect she was hoping "Grawp is now racing round eating whatever comes across his path" she continued "Yeh, true" agreed Hagrid "'e was eatin' on of 'em spiders the other day"
Ron went pale.
"'e start'd by pullin off 'is legs..." Ron dashed from his seat to the large white kitchen sink on the other side of the Hagrid's wooden hut, and hung his head inside it.
"'n then, 'e bit it's 'ead off"
Ron started coughing "'n the other day, I caught 'im chewin' 'arf dozen up. Could see all their legs 'angin' out o' 'is mouth"
The sound of Ron retching and the splatter of his breakfast on the bottom of the sink interrupted Hagrid.
"Oh. Sorry. I forgot yeh don't like 'em" apologised Hagrid Hermione looked at Harry then rolled her eyes.
Despite the fiercely glowing fire in front of him, Harry suddenly felt himself grow cold. He saw Hermione give him a furtive glance, but he purposely didn't look back.
"So, how's yer classes been?" Hagrid asked.
"Not bad," Harry replied, shaking himself out of his reverie.
"Charms was so much more complex than last year! It was great...!"
"Potions is still a nightmare..."
Hagrid chuckled.
Harry's DA meeting that evening was much less successful. They tried the hallucination jinx which left half the class giggling on the floor at the strange shapes chasing each other around the room for half an hour while Hermione looked up the counter jinx. Unfortunately when it was Ron's turn, he saw dementors, and ran up and down the corridors shouting and trying to cast the patronus charm.
Such was his terror that he had to be stunned before the counter jinx could be applied.
The following morning, as they sat at the breakfast table Ron looked ashamed of himself again.
"Don't worry about it" said Hermione "it's a natural reaction to what's happened. Harry was feeling exactly the same after Cedric and Sirius died, weren't you Harry"
"Yeah" he replied, really wanting Hermione not to drag up the past. "Don't worry about it"
The arrival of the owls brought a letter for Ron and a change of subject.
"Mum's cancelled Christmas this year" he read gloomily
"Well I suppose that under the circumstances" said Hermione
"Wait. She's written that we will be having a meal on Christmas day and you both are invited, if you want"
Harry said "Yes" immediately, but Hermione wanted to ask her parents first.