CHAPTER 14
Harry next saw Cho in the Entrance Hall before breakfast. He considered just waking past her. Why had she been completely ignoring him all term, but then maybe she was feeling the same about him. "Er, hi." He said as her eyes fixed on him. "I didn't know you had a sister,"
"Oh, you've met Anna." Said Cho quickly trying to avoid Harry's gaze.
"Yeah," said Harry now feeling slightly irritated. "Why didn't you tell me you had a sister?"
"You never asked." Said Cho shortly.
Harry couldn't believe this. 'You never asked?' "You don't just ask people." Harry snapped.
Cho glared at him. "This is so pointless Harry!" She snapped and stalked off, head in the air.
"What's her problem?" Said Ron who had just arrived.
"Dunno." Said Harry glumly staring after her.
"She just needs time." Said Hermione. "Come on, let's have breakfast." They hurried into the Great Hall and sat down at the Gryffindor table. Dean was talking very quickly and excitedly to Seamus, not even pausing for breath. The pair of them kept stealing glances over at the Slytherins. Harry looked over to see why. He saw it at once. Malfoy and Piers were staring over at the Gryffindors looking angry.
"What is it?" Harry asked Dean who took a deep breath and turned to face Harry.
"I swear that Polkiss' sister's my sister's best friend. Amanda Polkiss. She might even be a muggle. She's never done any magic."
"But then it can't be!" Said Hermione. "They're a pure blood family or why would he be friends with Malfoy?"
Harry had never thought of this. "They're not pure blood." Said Harry. "Piers is muggle born. I bet he didn't even know he was a wizard until he got that letter."
"Wait till Malfoy hears about this!" Said Ron grinning.
"Ron!" Snapped Hermione. She turned back to Dean. "It could be. You could ask him."
"I tried." Said Dean grimly. "There's no reasoning with someone like that! And I hope it's just a coincidence. I don't want my sister fraternising with a Slytherin's younger sister."
"Yeah," said Harry who's just finished his breakfast. Personally, he wasn't really bothered whether Dean's eight-year-old sister was fraternising with Amanda Polkiss or not. He knew he had something against Piers he would not want Harry to know. "I'll see you in Herbology." Harry said to Ron and Hermione. He hurried off after Piers who had just strode out of the Great Hall. "Hey Polkiss!" Harry yelled as he reached the Entrance hall.
Piers turned and eyed Harry with dislike. "Yeah." He said stiffly, quite unlike his usual laid back way of saying it.
"Do you have a sister called Amanda?" Harry asked quickly before Piers could slip off.
"Why?" Pierres said coldly now frowning at Harry.
"I just wanted to know." Said Harry innocently.
"Yeah, I do." Said Pierres continuing to glide up the stairs.
"You're not pure blood are you?" Harry shouted after him. "Shall I tell dear Draco? I wonder if he knows." It would be great to get Piers back after all these years...
Harry was disappointed to see that Piers did not look either concerned or threatened by this. "Why would it matter?" He asked coldly glaring at Harry.
Harry couldn't bring himself to tell him. He watched as Piers grinned, turned a corner and disappeared from Harry's view.
Next morning at breakfast, Harry watched a large brown owl come soaring into the Great Hall and to his surprise, landed between him and Hermione. "At last!" Hermione exclaimed grabbing the package of the owl's leg.
"What's that?" Ron asked goggling at the owl.
Hermione ripped open the package and pulled out a newspaper. "It's just to be safe." She said, catching Harry's eye. "Know what the ministry's saying." Her head vanished behind the newspaper and Harry continued with his breakfast. He hadn't really given what the ministry might be saying about him, much thought. Now however, he was watching Hermione eagerly as her eyes skimmed the paper. Then they suddenly paused on an article.
"Anything good?" Harry asked her.
Hermione raised her eyes to look at Harry. "Er, no." She said putting the newspaper away.
"Is there anything about Harry?" Ron blurted out. Hermione glared at him. "No Ron." But Ron grabbed the newspaper off Hermione who was still holding on to it firmly. The newspaper ripped down the middle.
"Oh Ron!" Yelled Hermione angrily. "No, Harry it's about...Cornelius Fudge. Here!" She fumbled through the newspaper and handed a random page to Harry.
"But this isn't the one you were reading!" Said Harry.
"Yes it is," said Hermione uncertainly.
Harry knew she wasn't telling the truth. It didn't really bother him as much though now, there wasn't much he could do about it, if the ministry thought him a lying lunatic. They headed to their Care of Magical creatures lesson to find that Professor Grubbly Plank was once again taking the lesson. "Today," she began once everyone had arrived. "We will be continuing to study Mucostiles. I would like you to draw them, label the body parts and then describe the Mucostile. I want it finished for homework so lets get moving."
Once the rest of the class had began drawing, Harry wandered over to Professor Grubbly Plank. "Where's Hagrid." He hissed avoiding Malfoy's malevolent stare.
"He's not back yet." Said Professor Grubbly Plank. Harry could see Malfoy listening eagerly.
"Where did he go?" Harry asked quietly.
But Professor Grubbly Plank was getting annoyed. "This isn't relevant to the lesson. Please continue with your drawing." Harry went back to Ron and Hermione. Trying to ignore Malfoy who was hissing something about 'missing the elephant.'
"Where d'you think he is?" Harry asked Ron and Hermione as he rejoined their table.
"Dunno." Said Ron, but Hermione looked thoughtful.
"It might be something to do with giants." She said and continued her drawing.
That evening in the Gryffindor Common room, Harry, Ron and Hermione sat gathered round a table doing their Homework when there was a knock at the window.
"What's that?" Asked Ron jumping to his feet so that 'The book of Interesting Creatures' Ron was using for their homework fell to the floor.
"It's an owl!" Said Harry. "Look!" A small grey owl was flying around the window. Harry got up to let it in. The grey owl hooted happily and soared over the heads of all the chattering Gryffindors and dropped its letter on top of Dean Thomas's roll of parchment.
"Finally!" Said Dean. Harry, Ron and Hermione hurried over to find out who the letter was from. Dean read it through. "It's from my sister!" Dean said when he reached the end.
"Can I see?" Harry asked. Dean handed him the letter and Harry read it though.
Dear Dean, I asked Amanda for you and she said she had a brother called Piers who is a wizard. I don't know why I cant be friends with her. She's really nice. Why do you want to know if she has a brother anyway? It's not very interesting. Tell Seamus I say hi.
Love Isabelle
"Seamus, she says hi." Grinned Dean taking the letter from Harry.
"So she does." Said Seamus reading the letter himself. Dean grabbed a piece of parchment and began scrawling a reply to the letter.
"I'm certain that Amanda will be a Slytherin too! I don't want her converting my sister!" Said Dean continuing to write.
"Who's converting your sister?" Ginny had just arrived. She was looking at Dean rather coldly.
"Oh no one." Said Dean not looking at her.
"Well I hope your sister turns out nicer than you!" Ginny shouted suddenly. "Even if she does get put in Slytherin!" She stormed off.
"Oops." Said Dean.
"What?" Asked Ron, Harry and Seamus.
"I'd forgotten about Ginny. You know how much homework we've been getting!" Dean glanced over at Ginny who was slumped in an armchair looking angry, Hermione talking to her.
"She was mad about you Dean!" Said Ron.
"Yeah I know." Said Dean sadly. "I'll go talk to her." He got up, leaving Ron, Harry and Seamus still gathered round the table.
"Oh yeah!" Said Seamus as though they had just met. He pulled a note from the pocket of his robes. "That Chang girl asked me to give this to you."
Harry took the note and read it. It said:
Harry, Meet me in the entrance hall at 8-o clock this evening. Don't be late!
Love Anna
Harry stuffed the note into his bag and checked his watch. It was already five to eight. "I'd better go then." He said to Ron. "See you tonight." He hurried off wondering what on Earth she wanted now. Though he was glad she was making contact with him again.
Harry reached the entrance hall and looked round. "Anna?" He said uncertainly. She was probably invisible again.
"I'm here Harry!" Her voice came from behind Harry. He turned and saw her take of an invisibility cloak. Harry had never seen her without the cloak in the light before. He was surprised to see that although she had long dark hair like her sisters, she didn't really look much like Cho.
"You don't look much like your sister!" Harry said grinning at her. "I wouldn't have guessed you were related"
"Well we're not really related," said Anna frowning. Harry looked at her carefully. He was probably imagining things but Anna looked just a tiny bit like Sirius Black. Harry's stomach plummeted upon thinking about Sirius but he managed to smile at Anna and say:
"Well you're sisters!"
Anna didn't say anything. She fidgeted with her long dark hair and said, "You shouldn't argue with Cho over me."
"How did you know about - "
"I have this Harry!" She gestured at the invisibility cloak tucked under her arm.
"Where did you get that?" Harry asked her suspiciously.
"Lucius Malfoy." Anna said quickly. "He gave it to me when my parents died. I was only two but he said it was no use for him anymore."
"Why didn't he give it to Malfoy? Or Cho?"
"Why Cho?" Anna asked suspiciously.
"Well it was her parents who died too, then."
"No." Said Anna.
Harry was confused. "Hang on! Anna your parents didn't die. Cho would have said."
"Oh," said Anna looking shocked. "Oh sorry Harry I forgot you didn't know about - Just forget it."
"But... Why did Lucius Malfoy give you his cloak?" Harry said. None of Anna's story made sense.
"He... I'd better go Harry. I've already told you too much!" Anna ran off up the Ravenclaw staircase. That had been an extremely strange meeting. What was Anna hiding from him? He'd ask Cho in the morning.
Harry next saw Cho in the Entrance Hall before breakfast. He considered just waking past her. Why had she been completely ignoring him all term, but then maybe she was feeling the same about him. "Er, hi." He said as her eyes fixed on him. "I didn't know you had a sister,"
"Oh, you've met Anna." Said Cho quickly trying to avoid Harry's gaze.
"Yeah," said Harry now feeling slightly irritated. "Why didn't you tell me you had a sister?"
"You never asked." Said Cho shortly.
Harry couldn't believe this. 'You never asked?' "You don't just ask people." Harry snapped.
Cho glared at him. "This is so pointless Harry!" She snapped and stalked off, head in the air.
"What's her problem?" Said Ron who had just arrived.
"Dunno." Said Harry glumly staring after her.
"She just needs time." Said Hermione. "Come on, let's have breakfast." They hurried into the Great Hall and sat down at the Gryffindor table. Dean was talking very quickly and excitedly to Seamus, not even pausing for breath. The pair of them kept stealing glances over at the Slytherins. Harry looked over to see why. He saw it at once. Malfoy and Piers were staring over at the Gryffindors looking angry.
"What is it?" Harry asked Dean who took a deep breath and turned to face Harry.
"I swear that Polkiss' sister's my sister's best friend. Amanda Polkiss. She might even be a muggle. She's never done any magic."
"But then it can't be!" Said Hermione. "They're a pure blood family or why would he be friends with Malfoy?"
Harry had never thought of this. "They're not pure blood." Said Harry. "Piers is muggle born. I bet he didn't even know he was a wizard until he got that letter."
"Wait till Malfoy hears about this!" Said Ron grinning.
"Ron!" Snapped Hermione. She turned back to Dean. "It could be. You could ask him."
"I tried." Said Dean grimly. "There's no reasoning with someone like that! And I hope it's just a coincidence. I don't want my sister fraternising with a Slytherin's younger sister."
"Yeah," said Harry who's just finished his breakfast. Personally, he wasn't really bothered whether Dean's eight-year-old sister was fraternising with Amanda Polkiss or not. He knew he had something against Piers he would not want Harry to know. "I'll see you in Herbology." Harry said to Ron and Hermione. He hurried off after Piers who had just strode out of the Great Hall. "Hey Polkiss!" Harry yelled as he reached the Entrance hall.
Piers turned and eyed Harry with dislike. "Yeah." He said stiffly, quite unlike his usual laid back way of saying it.
"Do you have a sister called Amanda?" Harry asked quickly before Piers could slip off.
"Why?" Pierres said coldly now frowning at Harry.
"I just wanted to know." Said Harry innocently.
"Yeah, I do." Said Pierres continuing to glide up the stairs.
"You're not pure blood are you?" Harry shouted after him. "Shall I tell dear Draco? I wonder if he knows." It would be great to get Piers back after all these years...
Harry was disappointed to see that Piers did not look either concerned or threatened by this. "Why would it matter?" He asked coldly glaring at Harry.
Harry couldn't bring himself to tell him. He watched as Piers grinned, turned a corner and disappeared from Harry's view.
Next morning at breakfast, Harry watched a large brown owl come soaring into the Great Hall and to his surprise, landed between him and Hermione. "At last!" Hermione exclaimed grabbing the package of the owl's leg.
"What's that?" Ron asked goggling at the owl.
Hermione ripped open the package and pulled out a newspaper. "It's just to be safe." She said, catching Harry's eye. "Know what the ministry's saying." Her head vanished behind the newspaper and Harry continued with his breakfast. He hadn't really given what the ministry might be saying about him, much thought. Now however, he was watching Hermione eagerly as her eyes skimmed the paper. Then they suddenly paused on an article.
"Anything good?" Harry asked her.
Hermione raised her eyes to look at Harry. "Er, no." She said putting the newspaper away.
"Is there anything about Harry?" Ron blurted out. Hermione glared at him. "No Ron." But Ron grabbed the newspaper off Hermione who was still holding on to it firmly. The newspaper ripped down the middle.
"Oh Ron!" Yelled Hermione angrily. "No, Harry it's about...Cornelius Fudge. Here!" She fumbled through the newspaper and handed a random page to Harry.
"But this isn't the one you were reading!" Said Harry.
"Yes it is," said Hermione uncertainly.
Harry knew she wasn't telling the truth. It didn't really bother him as much though now, there wasn't much he could do about it, if the ministry thought him a lying lunatic. They headed to their Care of Magical creatures lesson to find that Professor Grubbly Plank was once again taking the lesson. "Today," she began once everyone had arrived. "We will be continuing to study Mucostiles. I would like you to draw them, label the body parts and then describe the Mucostile. I want it finished for homework so lets get moving."
Once the rest of the class had began drawing, Harry wandered over to Professor Grubbly Plank. "Where's Hagrid." He hissed avoiding Malfoy's malevolent stare.
"He's not back yet." Said Professor Grubbly Plank. Harry could see Malfoy listening eagerly.
"Where did he go?" Harry asked quietly.
But Professor Grubbly Plank was getting annoyed. "This isn't relevant to the lesson. Please continue with your drawing." Harry went back to Ron and Hermione. Trying to ignore Malfoy who was hissing something about 'missing the elephant.'
"Where d'you think he is?" Harry asked Ron and Hermione as he rejoined their table.
"Dunno." Said Ron, but Hermione looked thoughtful.
"It might be something to do with giants." She said and continued her drawing.
That evening in the Gryffindor Common room, Harry, Ron and Hermione sat gathered round a table doing their Homework when there was a knock at the window.
"What's that?" Asked Ron jumping to his feet so that 'The book of Interesting Creatures' Ron was using for their homework fell to the floor.
"It's an owl!" Said Harry. "Look!" A small grey owl was flying around the window. Harry got up to let it in. The grey owl hooted happily and soared over the heads of all the chattering Gryffindors and dropped its letter on top of Dean Thomas's roll of parchment.
"Finally!" Said Dean. Harry, Ron and Hermione hurried over to find out who the letter was from. Dean read it through. "It's from my sister!" Dean said when he reached the end.
"Can I see?" Harry asked. Dean handed him the letter and Harry read it though.
Dear Dean, I asked Amanda for you and she said she had a brother called Piers who is a wizard. I don't know why I cant be friends with her. She's really nice. Why do you want to know if she has a brother anyway? It's not very interesting. Tell Seamus I say hi.
Love Isabelle
"Seamus, she says hi." Grinned Dean taking the letter from Harry.
"So she does." Said Seamus reading the letter himself. Dean grabbed a piece of parchment and began scrawling a reply to the letter.
"I'm certain that Amanda will be a Slytherin too! I don't want her converting my sister!" Said Dean continuing to write.
"Who's converting your sister?" Ginny had just arrived. She was looking at Dean rather coldly.
"Oh no one." Said Dean not looking at her.
"Well I hope your sister turns out nicer than you!" Ginny shouted suddenly. "Even if she does get put in Slytherin!" She stormed off.
"Oops." Said Dean.
"What?" Asked Ron, Harry and Seamus.
"I'd forgotten about Ginny. You know how much homework we've been getting!" Dean glanced over at Ginny who was slumped in an armchair looking angry, Hermione talking to her.
"She was mad about you Dean!" Said Ron.
"Yeah I know." Said Dean sadly. "I'll go talk to her." He got up, leaving Ron, Harry and Seamus still gathered round the table.
"Oh yeah!" Said Seamus as though they had just met. He pulled a note from the pocket of his robes. "That Chang girl asked me to give this to you."
Harry took the note and read it. It said:
Harry, Meet me in the entrance hall at 8-o clock this evening. Don't be late!
Love Anna
Harry stuffed the note into his bag and checked his watch. It was already five to eight. "I'd better go then." He said to Ron. "See you tonight." He hurried off wondering what on Earth she wanted now. Though he was glad she was making contact with him again.
Harry reached the entrance hall and looked round. "Anna?" He said uncertainly. She was probably invisible again.
"I'm here Harry!" Her voice came from behind Harry. He turned and saw her take of an invisibility cloak. Harry had never seen her without the cloak in the light before. He was surprised to see that although she had long dark hair like her sisters, she didn't really look much like Cho.
"You don't look much like your sister!" Harry said grinning at her. "I wouldn't have guessed you were related"
"Well we're not really related," said Anna frowning. Harry looked at her carefully. He was probably imagining things but Anna looked just a tiny bit like Sirius Black. Harry's stomach plummeted upon thinking about Sirius but he managed to smile at Anna and say:
"Well you're sisters!"
Anna didn't say anything. She fidgeted with her long dark hair and said, "You shouldn't argue with Cho over me."
"How did you know about - "
"I have this Harry!" She gestured at the invisibility cloak tucked under her arm.
"Where did you get that?" Harry asked her suspiciously.
"Lucius Malfoy." Anna said quickly. "He gave it to me when my parents died. I was only two but he said it was no use for him anymore."
"Why didn't he give it to Malfoy? Or Cho?"
"Why Cho?" Anna asked suspiciously.
"Well it was her parents who died too, then."
"No." Said Anna.
Harry was confused. "Hang on! Anna your parents didn't die. Cho would have said."
"Oh," said Anna looking shocked. "Oh sorry Harry I forgot you didn't know about - Just forget it."
"But... Why did Lucius Malfoy give you his cloak?" Harry said. None of Anna's story made sense.
"He... I'd better go Harry. I've already told you too much!" Anna ran off up the Ravenclaw staircase. That had been an extremely strange meeting. What was Anna hiding from him? He'd ask Cho in the morning.