A/N: Hi! Remember me? Yes, I am still alive, unfortunately for some people.
Sorry for the long- ok really long- update. I almost had the whole chapter
finished then my computer crashed and deleted all my fan fiction, and then
my Aunt has been holding my book five captive in Houston for the past nine
months, then I finally finished the chapter, but every time I tried to
upload it, it didn't work, so I decided to make it a little longer, so, if
you're reading this, I guess it worked. Please review! Oh, by the way,
anyone have an idea for a wizarding church?
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. It owns me. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It was just starting to get dark outside when they heard a car pull up. Hermione walked in a few seconds later.
"Hey guys," she said as she gave everyone a hug, "How are you?"
Everyone mumbled that they were fine and then Ron and Harry helped her carry her trunk to her room.
"So what's been happening?" she asked as she started to unpack.
"Nothing much," replied Harry, "At least what we know of, which isn't much."
"Mmm," she said as she pulled out a few sweaters, and then a lovely silver flower.
"And who is that from? Vicky-"Harry kicked him, "- I mean Victor?"
"Maybe it is, and it's none of your business," she replied, sweetly, and put it in a vase.
"Well sorry!" said an exasperated Ron.
Harry and Hermione both rolled their eyes.
"Here we go again," said Harry. Hermione nodded.
"We'll at least I'm not moping around trying to get people to feel sorry for myself!" he snapped back.
"Yeah, and neither am I," Harry said.
"Yeah you have, Harry," said Ron, "Ever since the end of last year you've been moping around, trying to get attention-"
"Attention," Harry said, coolly," is the last thing I want."
"Well, you're sure not acting like it. I mean you're going around acting all sorry for yourself, when it was your fault he died!"
Harry went pale. It was one thing to blame yourself, but totally different for someone else to...
"Ron-"
"Oh shut up Hermione! You know I'm right!"
"Well-"
"Oh sure go ahead and take his side!" shouted Harry.
"For your information I was not-"
"Be quiet, Hermione! You know everyone was getting along great before you came back!" said Ron.
"Well excuse me for coming into my own house."
"Well then why don't you go stay with Vicky!"
"Here we go again," said Harry.
"Why does everyone always say that after I talk?"
"Here we go again!" said Hermione.
"Oh shut up-"
Just then the door opened and Ginny walked in.
"Quiet! All of you! I can hear you from downstairs. First, get over it, whatever "it" is. Second, you all need some apart time. Hermione, you will stay in the guest room with me. Ron, you will stay in here, and Harry, you will march it upstairs to Fred and George's room to ask if you can stay with them. Third, what are you doing standing around? MARCH IT!"
"Fine, whatever," said Harry. He walked out of the room without looking at the others. He didn't deserve this. He had a prophecy to cope with, not to mention his godfather's death just weeks ago.
He knocked on Fred and Georges room, which smelt strangely of bubblegum and carrots.
Fred opened the door just enough to stick his head out, but so Harry couldn't see what they were making inside, but he probably didn't want to.
"Yeah?" Fred asked.
"Umm can I stay with you guys? Ginny's making me."
"Uhh sure, but why?"
"Cuz me and Ron and Hermione need some "apart time" according to Ginny."
"Oh, well come in."
Harry walked in, and the smell of carrots and bubble gun grew stronger. He looked around. Cauldrons upon cauldrons were placed everywhere with different contents inside.
"Excellent," said George, "We've been looking on someone to test in on."
Harry moaned.
"You get paid." Said George
"I don't want your money."
"Actually it'd be more like you getting your money back, but fine how 'bout store credit?"
"If I have to..."
"You have too."
* * *
Over the next few days, Harry learned that those six and a half years at Hogwarts, Fred and George had learned a lot more things than people would have guessed. Their skills for their products were amazing. Harry wouldn't be surprised if they drove Zonko's out of business.
One morning, the day before Harry's birthday, Ron, Harry, and Hermione (who were sitting at opposite ends of the table) each received an owl, which was carrying, ironically enough, their O.W.L.s scores.
Hermione opened hers up and squealed with excitement. Ron groaned as he opened his. Harry looked down at his. Surprisingly, there were no T's, but Harry suspected that was because it wasn't a true grade. A, E, A, E, E, P, O, O, and O. Not bad.
The next parchment was the usual letter saying to be at Platform 9 ¾ on September the first. The next was their list of supplies, nothing out of the ordinary there, and no clue as to whom the new Defense Against the Dark Arts was.
Behind the list was yet another letter. It read:
Dear Mister Potter, We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected as the captain of your house team, Gryffindor. Please meet with your head of house at the beginning of term.
Congratulations,
Albus Dumbledore
Quidditch captain? Yet, Dumbledore thought he was doing too much to be a perfect? He was busy enough. Not that it wouldn't be awesome to be captain but he had enough to deal with. He thought for a minute. Maybe that was the point to get his mind off of...things.
Actually, it might do good for him. He would accept, he decided. Why not?
* * *
After retiring to his, Fred and George's bedroom, Harry's mind wandered to the letter shoved somewhere in his suitcase. Giving in to the temptation, he pulled out the envelope and carefully undid the seal. Inside he found a letter.
You are hereby invited to celebrate the life and memory of Sirius O. Black. Please come and pay your respects on August 30th, 1996 at 1 o'clock in the afternoon.
There was no name. A funeral for Sirius? He didn't know if he would be able to make it through.
Ron's words stung Harry. It was his fault that Sirius died, but he would have to go. It's not like there would be many people going. He was a convicted murderer after all. He would honor the memory of Sirius.
* * *
The next day found Harry sitting by himself in the living room finishing up a potion essay. It was slow work, the summer seemed to suck all the information he had learned right from his brain. Suddenly, the doorbell rang.
"Can someone get that?" he heard Mrs. Granger shout from another point of the house.
Harry looked around. No one else seemed to move to get it. He stood up and walked towards the door. He opened it up, and there stood-
"Lupin?"
"Hello, Harry. How are you doing?"
"OK," he lied. He had a feeling Lupin knew, but did not call attention to it.
"I assume you received the note about the funeral." Harry nodded.
"And are you planning on attending?"
Harry nodded again, "Yes, but I don't know how to get there."
"You can come with me. That's what I came over here for, anyways, and you can bring anyone you want if it'll help. Ron, Hermione-
"Actually, we're kinda all in the middle of a fight right now. I'd rather just go alone."
"Oh, well I think Ron was going to go with his family. Is that going to be a problem?"
"Of course not. I'll be fine." "Okay, well, I'll come by about twelve, on Saturday, OK?"
"See you then." And when Harry blinked, Remus Lupin was gone.
* * *
Days have a way of just changing into a different one, when you're not looking. Like on Monday. It suddenly turned to Tuesday, Tuesday faded into Wednesday, Wednesday slipped in to Thursday, and before Harry knew it, he was getting ready to go to his Godfather's and the only thing he ever had that was close to a parent's funeral.
He put on a pair of nice black robes as he heard the doorbell ring. He walked downstairs where everyone was standing, including Lupin.
"Ready to go, Harry?" he said, putting on a falsely bright face.
"Yeah, let's go."
* * *
Flame away...
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. It owns me. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It was just starting to get dark outside when they heard a car pull up. Hermione walked in a few seconds later.
"Hey guys," she said as she gave everyone a hug, "How are you?"
Everyone mumbled that they were fine and then Ron and Harry helped her carry her trunk to her room.
"So what's been happening?" she asked as she started to unpack.
"Nothing much," replied Harry, "At least what we know of, which isn't much."
"Mmm," she said as she pulled out a few sweaters, and then a lovely silver flower.
"And who is that from? Vicky-"Harry kicked him, "- I mean Victor?"
"Maybe it is, and it's none of your business," she replied, sweetly, and put it in a vase.
"Well sorry!" said an exasperated Ron.
Harry and Hermione both rolled their eyes.
"Here we go again," said Harry. Hermione nodded.
"We'll at least I'm not moping around trying to get people to feel sorry for myself!" he snapped back.
"Yeah, and neither am I," Harry said.
"Yeah you have, Harry," said Ron, "Ever since the end of last year you've been moping around, trying to get attention-"
"Attention," Harry said, coolly," is the last thing I want."
"Well, you're sure not acting like it. I mean you're going around acting all sorry for yourself, when it was your fault he died!"
Harry went pale. It was one thing to blame yourself, but totally different for someone else to...
"Ron-"
"Oh shut up Hermione! You know I'm right!"
"Well-"
"Oh sure go ahead and take his side!" shouted Harry.
"For your information I was not-"
"Be quiet, Hermione! You know everyone was getting along great before you came back!" said Ron.
"Well excuse me for coming into my own house."
"Well then why don't you go stay with Vicky!"
"Here we go again," said Harry.
"Why does everyone always say that after I talk?"
"Here we go again!" said Hermione.
"Oh shut up-"
Just then the door opened and Ginny walked in.
"Quiet! All of you! I can hear you from downstairs. First, get over it, whatever "it" is. Second, you all need some apart time. Hermione, you will stay in the guest room with me. Ron, you will stay in here, and Harry, you will march it upstairs to Fred and George's room to ask if you can stay with them. Third, what are you doing standing around? MARCH IT!"
"Fine, whatever," said Harry. He walked out of the room without looking at the others. He didn't deserve this. He had a prophecy to cope with, not to mention his godfather's death just weeks ago.
He knocked on Fred and Georges room, which smelt strangely of bubblegum and carrots.
Fred opened the door just enough to stick his head out, but so Harry couldn't see what they were making inside, but he probably didn't want to.
"Yeah?" Fred asked.
"Umm can I stay with you guys? Ginny's making me."
"Uhh sure, but why?"
"Cuz me and Ron and Hermione need some "apart time" according to Ginny."
"Oh, well come in."
Harry walked in, and the smell of carrots and bubble gun grew stronger. He looked around. Cauldrons upon cauldrons were placed everywhere with different contents inside.
"Excellent," said George, "We've been looking on someone to test in on."
Harry moaned.
"You get paid." Said George
"I don't want your money."
"Actually it'd be more like you getting your money back, but fine how 'bout store credit?"
"If I have to..."
"You have too."
* * *
Over the next few days, Harry learned that those six and a half years at Hogwarts, Fred and George had learned a lot more things than people would have guessed. Their skills for their products were amazing. Harry wouldn't be surprised if they drove Zonko's out of business.
One morning, the day before Harry's birthday, Ron, Harry, and Hermione (who were sitting at opposite ends of the table) each received an owl, which was carrying, ironically enough, their O.W.L.s scores.
Hermione opened hers up and squealed with excitement. Ron groaned as he opened his. Harry looked down at his. Surprisingly, there were no T's, but Harry suspected that was because it wasn't a true grade. A, E, A, E, E, P, O, O, and O. Not bad.
The next parchment was the usual letter saying to be at Platform 9 ¾ on September the first. The next was their list of supplies, nothing out of the ordinary there, and no clue as to whom the new Defense Against the Dark Arts was.
Behind the list was yet another letter. It read:
Dear Mister Potter, We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected as the captain of your house team, Gryffindor. Please meet with your head of house at the beginning of term.
Congratulations,
Albus Dumbledore
Quidditch captain? Yet, Dumbledore thought he was doing too much to be a perfect? He was busy enough. Not that it wouldn't be awesome to be captain but he had enough to deal with. He thought for a minute. Maybe that was the point to get his mind off of...things.
Actually, it might do good for him. He would accept, he decided. Why not?
* * *
After retiring to his, Fred and George's bedroom, Harry's mind wandered to the letter shoved somewhere in his suitcase. Giving in to the temptation, he pulled out the envelope and carefully undid the seal. Inside he found a letter.
You are hereby invited to celebrate the life and memory of Sirius O. Black. Please come and pay your respects on August 30th, 1996 at 1 o'clock in the afternoon.
There was no name. A funeral for Sirius? He didn't know if he would be able to make it through.
Ron's words stung Harry. It was his fault that Sirius died, but he would have to go. It's not like there would be many people going. He was a convicted murderer after all. He would honor the memory of Sirius.
* * *
The next day found Harry sitting by himself in the living room finishing up a potion essay. It was slow work, the summer seemed to suck all the information he had learned right from his brain. Suddenly, the doorbell rang.
"Can someone get that?" he heard Mrs. Granger shout from another point of the house.
Harry looked around. No one else seemed to move to get it. He stood up and walked towards the door. He opened it up, and there stood-
"Lupin?"
"Hello, Harry. How are you doing?"
"OK," he lied. He had a feeling Lupin knew, but did not call attention to it.
"I assume you received the note about the funeral." Harry nodded.
"And are you planning on attending?"
Harry nodded again, "Yes, but I don't know how to get there."
"You can come with me. That's what I came over here for, anyways, and you can bring anyone you want if it'll help. Ron, Hermione-
"Actually, we're kinda all in the middle of a fight right now. I'd rather just go alone."
"Oh, well I think Ron was going to go with his family. Is that going to be a problem?"
"Of course not. I'll be fine." "Okay, well, I'll come by about twelve, on Saturday, OK?"
"See you then." And when Harry blinked, Remus Lupin was gone.
* * *
Days have a way of just changing into a different one, when you're not looking. Like on Monday. It suddenly turned to Tuesday, Tuesday faded into Wednesday, Wednesday slipped in to Thursday, and before Harry knew it, he was getting ready to go to his Godfather's and the only thing he ever had that was close to a parent's funeral.
He put on a pair of nice black robes as he heard the doorbell ring. He walked downstairs where everyone was standing, including Lupin.
"Ready to go, Harry?" he said, putting on a falsely bright face.
"Yeah, let's go."
* * *
Flame away...