A New Term
"Harry! We were worried; we couldn't find you on the Hogwarts Express. How come you're here already? Why didn't you come down to the feast? Did you know that Lupin is back and is our DADA teacher again?" Hermione Granger asked as she sat down next to Harry in the Gryfindor tower common room. It had been a long time since they had seen each other; as Harry had been distant throughout the holidays, and Hermione had been on holiday visiting Krum. Ron too had been busy, helping the Twins with their shop. They had chosen to change location and had brought a shop in Hogsmead, deciding it would be more profitable due to the large amount of students that visited Hogsmead during term time.
"Long story, doesn't matter. Sorry, I forgot to owl you and let you know. Did you hear they about how they caught Pettigrew?" Harry asked, hastily avoiding some of the questions.
"Harry I don't think there's anyone who doesn't know. He's been sentenced to Azkaban after all, and Sirius name has been cleared. Well...Ow! Hermione what was that for?" Ron asked. Hermione had dug him in the ribs as she sat down.
Harry winced. Ron had grown a lot taller in the holidays, and Harry noticed he had new robes. He also noticed that he had just as little tact as he had done since they had met in their first year. For that matter, Hermione had just as much tact as well. Couldn't they see that Harry just wanted to be left alone? He didn't want to talk about the holidays, or last year, or even the future. He just wanted to be left alone.
"It doesn't matter. Let's hope that this means Sirius' soul can rest now. I was at the trial by the way. I never realised how many crimes Pettigrew had committed." Harry's friends looked at him and he continued. "He confessed to a variety of crimes, betraying my parents, framing Sirius for the murders, posing as Scabbers the rat as an unregistered animagus for twelve years, to watch me until Voldemort's return." Ron flinched at hearing his name but Harry ignored it and continued. "He also swore to participating in various other crimes including helping Voldemort to return and murdering and torturing Muggles and other Wizards."
"Well he got what he deserved, although dare I say it that Azkaban would be worse if the Dementors were still faithful to the Ministry." Hermione stated.
"Yea well. How was your holidays'?" Harry asked them both, desperately trying to change the subject.
"I visited Krum." Hermione blushed. "Nothing happened, but it was so nice to see him again. He's changed a lot. Oh stop scowling Ron, you're just jealous because I stayed with Krum, and was late meeting you in Diagon Alley."
"That's a point Harry. Didn't you get my owl about meeting us in Diagon Alley? Well it doesn't matter. Mum said you most probably didn't feel like it and not to bother you. What happened in the holidays though? Mum tried owling you and went out her mind when you didn't reply, and snape kept being sent over ours too. Fred and George let me use the extenable ears, and all I heard was that the Order were looking for you..." Ron saw the look on Harry's face and changed the subject. But still mate. You missed the funniest thing..."
Harry faked a yawn. "I'm tired Ron. I'll talk to you both tomorrow. With that he walked up the stairs to the dorm, ignoring Ron as he tried to talk to Harry.
"RON! How insensitive can you get? He's most probably still upset about Sirius, why else do you think he never came to Diagon Alley with us. I expect Dumbledore got his books for him." Hermione scolded.
"Well I doubt he wanted to hear about your holiday with Krum either. You can be so insensitive at times. You know what, I think I'm gonna go up to bed as well." With that Ron stalked up to the dorm.
Crookshanks followed Ron, hissing and pitting at him. Hermione sighed and walked up to her room. She wondered why Harry hadn't met them. Surely he wasn't still grieving. And why had Mrs Weasley been so edgy about Harry. Come to think of it...why had Snape been there the morning she had arrived at The Burrow, looking unusually worried? Why was the Order looking for Harry? Had he really gone missing?
Hermione shrugged it off and fell asleep, unlike Harry, who lay awake, tossing and turning in his dorm, as Ron snored into the silence.
"Harry! We were worried; we couldn't find you on the Hogwarts Express. How come you're here already? Why didn't you come down to the feast? Did you know that Lupin is back and is our DADA teacher again?" Hermione Granger asked as she sat down next to Harry in the Gryfindor tower common room. It had been a long time since they had seen each other; as Harry had been distant throughout the holidays, and Hermione had been on holiday visiting Krum. Ron too had been busy, helping the Twins with their shop. They had chosen to change location and had brought a shop in Hogsmead, deciding it would be more profitable due to the large amount of students that visited Hogsmead during term time.
"Long story, doesn't matter. Sorry, I forgot to owl you and let you know. Did you hear they about how they caught Pettigrew?" Harry asked, hastily avoiding some of the questions.
"Harry I don't think there's anyone who doesn't know. He's been sentenced to Azkaban after all, and Sirius name has been cleared. Well...Ow! Hermione what was that for?" Ron asked. Hermione had dug him in the ribs as she sat down.
Harry winced. Ron had grown a lot taller in the holidays, and Harry noticed he had new robes. He also noticed that he had just as little tact as he had done since they had met in their first year. For that matter, Hermione had just as much tact as well. Couldn't they see that Harry just wanted to be left alone? He didn't want to talk about the holidays, or last year, or even the future. He just wanted to be left alone.
"It doesn't matter. Let's hope that this means Sirius' soul can rest now. I was at the trial by the way. I never realised how many crimes Pettigrew had committed." Harry's friends looked at him and he continued. "He confessed to a variety of crimes, betraying my parents, framing Sirius for the murders, posing as Scabbers the rat as an unregistered animagus for twelve years, to watch me until Voldemort's return." Ron flinched at hearing his name but Harry ignored it and continued. "He also swore to participating in various other crimes including helping Voldemort to return and murdering and torturing Muggles and other Wizards."
"Well he got what he deserved, although dare I say it that Azkaban would be worse if the Dementors were still faithful to the Ministry." Hermione stated.
"Yea well. How was your holidays'?" Harry asked them both, desperately trying to change the subject.
"I visited Krum." Hermione blushed. "Nothing happened, but it was so nice to see him again. He's changed a lot. Oh stop scowling Ron, you're just jealous because I stayed with Krum, and was late meeting you in Diagon Alley."
"That's a point Harry. Didn't you get my owl about meeting us in Diagon Alley? Well it doesn't matter. Mum said you most probably didn't feel like it and not to bother you. What happened in the holidays though? Mum tried owling you and went out her mind when you didn't reply, and snape kept being sent over ours too. Fred and George let me use the extenable ears, and all I heard was that the Order were looking for you..." Ron saw the look on Harry's face and changed the subject. But still mate. You missed the funniest thing..."
Harry faked a yawn. "I'm tired Ron. I'll talk to you both tomorrow. With that he walked up the stairs to the dorm, ignoring Ron as he tried to talk to Harry.
"RON! How insensitive can you get? He's most probably still upset about Sirius, why else do you think he never came to Diagon Alley with us. I expect Dumbledore got his books for him." Hermione scolded.
"Well I doubt he wanted to hear about your holiday with Krum either. You can be so insensitive at times. You know what, I think I'm gonna go up to bed as well." With that Ron stalked up to the dorm.
Crookshanks followed Ron, hissing and pitting at him. Hermione sighed and walked up to her room. She wondered why Harry hadn't met them. Surely he wasn't still grieving. And why had Mrs Weasley been so edgy about Harry. Come to think of it...why had Snape been there the morning she had arrived at The Burrow, looking unusually worried? Why was the Order looking for Harry? Had he really gone missing?
Hermione shrugged it off and fell asleep, unlike Harry, who lay awake, tossing and turning in his dorm, as Ron snored into the silence.