Here it is folks, chapter 13! The unluckiest number, and now this story has
more chapters than any of my others!
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Harry woke up early the next morning after an uneasy sleep. He tossed all night, dreaming unsettling dreams. He dreamed Sirius, Voldemort, Cho, and many other unsettling things.
After deciding that he would not get back to sleep, Harry got up. He went downstairs to the common room. He sat down in front of the fire, staring at its flickering flames. Crookshanks curled up in his lap, purring. Harry sighed. He'd spent most of the night dreaming about Cho. He had to do something, write her a letter, talk to her, something. He decided on the first option. He was glad it wasn't even sunrise, because he knew it would take a long time.
Fifteen minutes, sitting, thinking, and all he had was 'Dear Cho:'
Finally, minutes before anyone would start coming downstairs, he finished it.
Dear Cho:
I understand what you mean, I really do. In my fifth year, I thought I was being possessed by Voldemort, so I tried to run away to protect my friends. I was acting as a snake in my dreams, and I saw myself hurt Mr. Weasley. I wouldn't let myself sleep because I was afraid I would kill someone. Those were some of the worst few days in my life. When you were at the Dursley's before my sixth year, I told you almost everything that had happened to me. But I didn't tell you what had happened only a few weeks earlier. I was in the Ministry of Magic, and I found out something.
There is a reason that trouble always seems to find me. Well, not all the trouble, but all the trouble that has to do with Voldemort. You see, there was a prophecy made, almost seventeen years ago, by Professor Trelawney, no less. It was one of two prophecies she ever actually gave. It talked about me. And Voldemort. That the only way one of us could die was by the others hand. That's how it happened. He's been trying to kill me for sixteen years so that I wouldn't. Now that I have killed him, the prophecy is complete. All of the remaining Death Eaters at the Great Battle were rounded up and brought to Azkaban. But I realized something. Not a long time ago, in fact, just as I wrote that last sentence. Not all of them have been captured. Peter Pettigrew, or Wormtail, is still alive. He is the cause of this. Either him or the Slytherins, whose parents were Death Eaters, such as Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle.
I understand what you mean, I am dangerous, and I think it would be hard to live with. But please, let me have the chance to make it stop. Let me have the chance to stop the fighting, the danger. That's all I'm asking from you. Not to be taken back. Just to be given the chance to explain myself, and to be your friend.
-Harry
He looked at the letter. Why hadn't it come to him before? He was so silly to have not realized about Wormtail. He ran upstairs to get dressed. He promised himself that he would talk to Dumbledore as soon as possible.
He got his chance that morning. He found he had a spare period first, so he went to Dumbledore's office.
He said the password and walked up the spiral staircase to the large oak doors. He knocked once on the griffin shaped knocker.
"Come in." Dumbledore's voice came.
Harry opened the door. "Good morning, Professor."
Dumbledore looked at him. "Did you not get Sirius' note?"
Harry nodded. "I got it, thank you. I wanted to ask you. . . does the Order know that Wormtail is not in Azkaban?"
Dumbledore smiled. "Professor Lupin has been waiting for you to notice that. He was quite disappointed that you had not realized it yet."
Harry cocked his head to the side quizzically.
"We know, Harry. But it is very difficult to catch a rat. Especially a rat who knows the identities of everyone looking for him. We weren't getting too worried about not finding him, as he is a coward, and will not attack in his master's name unless there is something in it for him. Thus, we know that something is happening."
Harry looked at him blankly.
"Harry, we believe it was Peter Pettigrew who attacked you two weeks ago. And we believe that something is happening, something we don't know very much about. Sirius believes that is why he is back."
Harry was confused. He knew exactly what Dumbledore meant, Wormtail would never attack without a reason. "But you can find out, right? I mean, last time, you found out almost everything."
Dumbledore shook his head. "Last time, a prophecy was made directly to me, and we had been working for fifteen years on it. Now, there is no prophecy, there is no time. We have a lot less to work with."
Harry nodded. "Thank you, Professor. I have to get to class."
He walked silently back to the Gryffindor Tower to pick up his book bag. If Wormtail was still around, that meant that there was still danger. He could be lurking behind any corner, in any doorway. Harry shook the thoughts out of his head. He was being silly.
Fifteen minutes later, Harry met Hermione in front of their DADA classroom. Harry realized he'd barely been in class for a month before he'd left, and it made him smile, being back again. They took two seats at the front of the room.
"Good morning, class." Lupin walked to the front of the room. "Welcome back to our class, Harry." He smiled at him.
Harry smiled back. "It's good to be back."
(A/N I can't think o any interesting animals or spells, so I'm going to skip most of the classes. I know what they're doing in Potions, and that's basically it. so I'm going to skip over the lesson completely.)
The bell rang far too soon. "It's not fair, why do we have to leave DADA for Potions?"
Hermione sighed. "I hate to say it, but I agree with you."
Harry raised his eyebrows.
"We're starting to make Veritaserum today. It's probably the hardest potion we've ever made. But guess what we're doing after!"
Harry shrugged. He didn't really feel like guessing, and Hermione looked very excited to tell him.
"Polyjuice Potion!"
Harry grinned, thinking back to his second year.
Hermione's face fell. "I just hope we don't have to test it."
"Test what?" Ron asked, joining them. Hermione just shook her head. It wasn't important.
Harry didn't say anything. He was too busy thinking about Wormtail, and everything Dumbledore had told him. He didn't want to tell them, he knew exactly how they would react. Ron would get worried and not know what to do, and Hermione would tell him to be careful. He decided, after a moment, that they deserved to know anyway.
"Do you guys remember Wormtail?" Harry asked quietly.
Ron went slightly pale. "Yeah, he was my rat, Harry."
"Well, he's still alive. And he's not in Azkaban. The Order wasn't looking too hard for him, because they didn't think he'd do anything unless there was something in it for him, right?"
Hermione nodded slowly, not understanding Harry's point.
"Dumbledore thinks something is up. It may have been Wormtail who attacked me, and Sirius thinks that this is why he's come back. Something may be happening."
Ron's eyes grew wide. "Gee, Harry, what are you going to do?"
Hermione stayed fairly calm, but her eyes grew slightly wide too. "Be careful, Harry."
This actually comforted him. The predictability of his friends made life a lot easier.
Five minutes later, they walked into the Potions dungeon.
Snape walked in. "We are starting Veritaserum, as you all should know, if you were paying attention last class. Potter!" He said sharply. "What is Veritaserum?"
Harry looked up at him, feeling intense loathing, again. "It is a colourless, odourless liquid that makes the drinker tell the truth."
Snape frowned. "Very good." He said icily, clearly upset that Harry had gotten it correct.
"Veritaserum is a complex potion that is required for N.E.W.T. levels. It will take you a few weeks, and is exceedingly difficult. The instructions are on the board, please read them carefully."
Harry read the instructions before he started. Snape was telling the truth, it was incredibly complicated. He got to work.
An hour and a half later, Harry hadn't done anything wrong. He hoped.
"Your potion should be a transparent yellow, about the colour of urine." No one giggled, they all knew better. "It should be giving off a slight scent of orange, which should go away, after we let it sit until next class and add more ingredients next class."
Harry looked into his cauldron. Transparent yellow, smelling like oranges. He looked up and grinned at Hermione, who's potion was also correct.
After they cleaned up, they walked out of the classroom.
Ron groaned. "Mine smelled more like rancid oranges."
Harry laughed. "You'll do fine, don't worry, Ron. It's better than Crabbe's, his was bright green. It looked radioactive."
Ron looked puzzled at the word. Hermione rolled her eyes and told him to forget it.
"And Goyle's exploded, did you see? " She laughed.
After lunch, they had History of Magic and Care of Magical Creatures. "Great," Harry said. "More catching up to do."
Ron shrugged. "I don't know, it's not like we ever work in History of Magic. We just copy Hermione's notes; I don't think it will be a problem."
* * * * *
The next morning, Harry got a letter at owl post.
"Who's it from?" Ron asked, spraying food everywhere. Hermione made a face from behind her book.
Harry shook his head. "It's not important." He mumbled. Ron shrugged and went back to his food. Hermione didn't look up.
Harry hoped he knew who it was from. He shoved it in his pocket to look at later.
He found time during lunch. Hermione was in the library, and Ron was far too busy with his food.
He opened it slowly. He didn't know what it was going to say.
Dear Harry:
I got your letter. That's wonderful for you. It doesn't matter to me that you have no choice. I still don't want to deal with it. I don't want to be your friend, and I don't appreciate the fact that you tried to talk to me, when I asked you not to. Please, for both of our sakes, don't do it again.
-Cho
"Err, Ron, I'm going up to have a nap before class, I'll see you at Charms, okay?"
Ron nodded, and Harry walked up to his dorm.
He sat down on his bed and opened the letter again. He read it over. It seemed so rude, so unlike Cho. But then he noticed something he hadn't the first time.
There were tears splattered down the page, and her writing was shaky.
Harry sighed. She wanted to stay, but she knew it would be harder. She knew that, in the long run, it would be easier.
He flopped back, thinking that maybe things would get easier for him.
* * * * *
The next few days flew by in a flurry of extra school work, extra Quiddich practice, and Head Boy duties.
Before Harry knew it, it was Halloween, and he and Hermione were decorating with the prefects and teachers.
"I do enjoy the decorations, but I really wanted to hold an extra Quiddich practice!" Harry said to Hermione.
She rolled her eyes. "That's all you boys think about. It's just a silly game."
Harry glared at her.
The Halloween feast was delicious. One of the things that Harry loved about feasts was that everyone hung out with everyone. It wasn't just him, Hermione and Ron, it was the entire seventh year. He spent the evening laughing with Seamus, Dean, Neville, and Ron, while Hermione chatted with the girls in their year, Parvati and Lavender.
All the fun of the evening almost made. Harry forget that they had a Quiddich game the next day.
"Check." Ron said. Harry sighed as he looked at the pathetic game board.
It's not fair, Ron. You're too good." He had three pieces left, Ron had three missing.
Ron sighed dramatically, grinning. "It's like I said before. You're a loser."
Harry grinned. "Yeah, but you're a sidekick."
Hermione sat up. "Harry!" She said sharply.
"Hey, why doesn't he get yelled at?"
Hermione frowned. "Because you are Head Boy. You have to set an example. Especially since you are also Quiddich Captain."
Harry jumped. "Quiddich! I have to make the team go to bed! What time is it?"
"Ten o'clock."
Harry groaned. "I can't believe I forgot. . ."
He stood up. "Oy! Quiddich team! Bed, now! Jeremy Snigg and James Dent! Go!" He pointed to the two boys, who were playing Exploding Snap in the corner. He glanced around the rest of the room, looking for Saqua, Katie, and Ginny. He spotted Ginny helping another girl put away a chess set. She nodded at him, and walked upstairs. He spotted Saqua walking upstairs, and found out from a few fourth year girls that Katie had gone to sleep a few minutes earlier.
"Well, Goodnight, Hermione." He said.
She nodded. "Good night, Harry."
"Yeah, good night, mate." Ron said.
Harry frowned. "Ron, you're coming too. You are on the team."
Ron groaned. "I have to go to bed at the same time as third years?"
Harry nodded, smiling weakly. "Now, Ron. I'm going too. We've got to play against Hufflepuff tomorrow."
Harry actually slept well that night, for the first time in a long while. He woke up early the next morning, ready for action. He looked over at Ron, who was still snoring softly. He got up and got dressed before he woke Ron up.
"Mmmph. . . go away. More sleep." He rolled over.
Harry shook him harder. "Wake up, Ron! We have Quiddich."
He sat up. "I'm awake, I'm awake." He said, but his eyes were still closed.
Harry threw a pillow at him, and he opened his eyes.
"Fine, I'm up." He stood up, and a few minutes later later, they were walking down to the Great Hall. "It's way too early for this."
Harry smiled weakly. "Just eat, Ron." He said, and went to check with Ginny if all the girls are here."
They were all in the Great Hall, and after Harry forced them all to eat, they made their way down to the Quiddich pitch.
"Alright, is everyone dressed?" Harry asked. He glanced around, and could see everyone in their Quiddich robes. "Excellent. Now, as I'm sure you all know, I'm not that great at these speeches. But you also know that we have an amazing team, and we are definitely the best team in school. Now lets go and show Hufflepuff that they haven't got a chance."
Ginny brushed against him as they walked out. "I don't see why you say you're so bad at giving speeches. You always did well in the DA, and you do well here."
Harry grinned, and she rolled her eyes.
After kicked off the ground, Harry started looking for the snitch, but it was no where to be found. After almost an hour, he still hadn't seen anything.
"Hurry up, Harry!" Ron called, when Harry circled towards his end of the pitch.
Harry frowned. "Don't rush me, Ron." He flew higher above the pitch, scanning over it. The Hufflepuff seeker, Jasmine Cooper, was at the other end of the pitch, looking over it. Just at that moment, Harry saw a flicker of gold near the ground, on the opposite end of the pitch. He knew if he dove for it, Cooper would see, and dive too, thus getting to the snitch before him. He had to do something, something that would either catch her attention for long enough, or fool her.
When he couldn't think of any distractions, Harry decided to move slowly towards the other end of the pitch, making like he was looking around. It worked, and Cooper didn't give him a second glance. Then when he was just below her . . . he dove. Before Cooper could react, Harry was almost holding onto it. He grabbed the snitch, and not a moment too soon. He flew above the pitch, waving the snitch in the air.
"Great catch, Harry!" Ron yelled. Harry grinned.
A few minutes later, Harry rounded up his team members in the change room. "Alright, people, I don't want to be rude, but that game was horrible. I don't know what got into you. Last game, we played so well, and you've all been doing well in practice. I think maybe you are all tired from the festivities last night, but now you know how to set your priorities. And I want to start having morning practices as well, just in case. I'm not risking any games, I don't want it to depend that much on me. I want you to play as though I wasn't there, as if you had to stay 160 points ahead, so you would still win. Am I clear?"
They all nodded.
"Great, I'll see you all at seven o'clock tomorrow morning."
The entire room groaned, and Harry had to hold himself back from groaning himself. "Come on, guys. It's the weekend, cheer up!"
A few of them rolled their eyes, but Ginny and Ron smiled. The three of them walked outside, where Hermione was waiting for them.
"Congratulations, guys!" She grinned.
"Thanks, Hermione." Ginny grinned.
"Come on, let's get to the celebration party, it's going to start without us!" Harry said. They walked quickly up to the Gryffindor tower, where, as Harry had guessed, the celebration had started already.
Someone had found a banner Dean had made in a previous year, and, again, someone had gone to the kitchens, and brought back Butterbeer and pastries. The party was in full swing, and as Harry walked in, he looked around at all the people.
Everyone was smiling, quite a few people were dancing, and everyone was having fun. Harry felt like he'd been transported into an amazing new place. The night before, everyone had been relaxing, playing games, being calm. Now, everyone was up and moving, partying, having fun.
"This is great!" He said to Ron, a few minutes later.
Ron nodded, grinning. "Best party we've had yet."
That was, of course, until Professor McGonagall came in to tell them to keep it down. "It may be a weekend, but there are still people trying to sleep." She turned on her heel, and walked out.
Harry sighed. "I think I need to sleep, too." Harry said. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."
Ron nodded, and Hermione said good night. Harry walked up the stairs and fell asleep before he hit the bed.
* * * * *
The next month and a half passed slowly, with much more homework than Harry would have liked. He spent so much time writing Potions Essays, practicing charms, and memorising History of Magic notes.
"This is stupid. Why do we have to memorise this stuff? It's not even Christmas!" Ron said, tossing his book on the table.
Harry sighed. "Yeah, Hermione, why do we have to study this stuff? I've got enough work already."
Hermione looked up from behind her book. "Because this is our N.E.W.T. year. This is the year that means everything. If you don't get outstanding in all of your classes, you might not get into the career you want." The next thing she directed at Harry. "You dropped one of your classes, and you are hugely ahead in Defence Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration. No complaining from you."
Harry frowned, but he knew Hermione was right. He decided that he had too much on his mind to study, and went upstairs. He walked directly to the window, scanning the skies for owls. He was waiting, every day, for Sirius to send him information. In his last letter, he said he'd seen no sign of Wormtail, but he had come across good evidence that said he was out and about. Harry hadn't been attacked again since October, but he knew it would only be so long before something happened. He'd been receiving worse and worse treatment from the Slytherins, but it was nothing he couldn't handle.
He sighed. It was hard. He wished he wasn't at Hogwarts, and it was one of the few times he ever had. The only difference was, this time, everyone didn't think he was a killer.
Where he wanted to be was with Cho, back in London, even for just a day. He hadn't thought about it too often, he couldn't. He also couldn't talk to anyone about it. He had told Ron that he'd broken up with Cho, but he couldn't tell him that two months later, he was still thinking about her.
It wasn't that he hadn't gotten over her, or that he was obsessing over her, it wasn't that at all. He just missed her, and he thought about her sometimes.
Harry walked back to his bed and sat down. Christmas break was to start in less than a week, and Harry was quite sure that he would be alone. Ron was going home, because his parents wanted him to visit Bill (A/N: is that the one who works in Egypt? I think Charlie works in Romania, but they kept going home in the books, so I was confused) in Egypt with them. Hermione was going home as well, her parents wanted to see her, and she wanted to get lots of studying in the holidays.
Harry was not set to go anywhere. He was staying right where he was. Where would he be able to go, anyway? The Dursleys? He didn't mind much, he could practice Quiddich a bit, get some quiet studying in, and have plenty of time for himself.
Harry pulled out another set of notes, as he'd left his History of Magic notes in the common room, and studied them until he fell asleep.
The next day, the sign up sheet for staying for the holidays was up on the notice board. But that was not all that was up. There was a notice to any students who were planning on staying over the break.
THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC WILL BE WORKING OUT OF HOGWARTS FOR THE
CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS, AS THE MINISTRY IS UNDER RENOVATION.
Please be prepared for the Minister and his staff. Please work quietly
when outside of your common room, and be prepared to give directions
or any other help to ANY MINISTRY STAFF THAT ASKS IT.
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Wow, almost four thousand words! So cool!
Kraeq001: I'm glad you like it!
Slimpun: Ummm..that was an incredibly long run on sentence, and I can't really understand it. I think you were trying to get me to write about something, but I'm not sure.
Wuzup13579: hold your horses. Don't be such a wuss! Kidding, you'll have to wait.
Light_of_the_moon: I think I already answered this one, didn't I? I can't remember.
Dragoon knight: no, Cho isn't gone for good, but they're not going to have one of those 'oh, I realized I can't live without you' moments. I'm not planning on Cho being too much for Harry until my next story, which will be about after he graduates. Though I might just add it on the end of this one, instead of starting a new one.
Well, that's all for today, with not nearly enough reviews! Well, actually, that's not quite true. I'm up to 50 reviews, just in this story. It's fun fun fun!
-unolimbo
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Harry woke up early the next morning after an uneasy sleep. He tossed all night, dreaming unsettling dreams. He dreamed Sirius, Voldemort, Cho, and many other unsettling things.
After deciding that he would not get back to sleep, Harry got up. He went downstairs to the common room. He sat down in front of the fire, staring at its flickering flames. Crookshanks curled up in his lap, purring. Harry sighed. He'd spent most of the night dreaming about Cho. He had to do something, write her a letter, talk to her, something. He decided on the first option. He was glad it wasn't even sunrise, because he knew it would take a long time.
Fifteen minutes, sitting, thinking, and all he had was 'Dear Cho:'
Finally, minutes before anyone would start coming downstairs, he finished it.
Dear Cho:
I understand what you mean, I really do. In my fifth year, I thought I was being possessed by Voldemort, so I tried to run away to protect my friends. I was acting as a snake in my dreams, and I saw myself hurt Mr. Weasley. I wouldn't let myself sleep because I was afraid I would kill someone. Those were some of the worst few days in my life. When you were at the Dursley's before my sixth year, I told you almost everything that had happened to me. But I didn't tell you what had happened only a few weeks earlier. I was in the Ministry of Magic, and I found out something.
There is a reason that trouble always seems to find me. Well, not all the trouble, but all the trouble that has to do with Voldemort. You see, there was a prophecy made, almost seventeen years ago, by Professor Trelawney, no less. It was one of two prophecies she ever actually gave. It talked about me. And Voldemort. That the only way one of us could die was by the others hand. That's how it happened. He's been trying to kill me for sixteen years so that I wouldn't. Now that I have killed him, the prophecy is complete. All of the remaining Death Eaters at the Great Battle were rounded up and brought to Azkaban. But I realized something. Not a long time ago, in fact, just as I wrote that last sentence. Not all of them have been captured. Peter Pettigrew, or Wormtail, is still alive. He is the cause of this. Either him or the Slytherins, whose parents were Death Eaters, such as Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle.
I understand what you mean, I am dangerous, and I think it would be hard to live with. But please, let me have the chance to make it stop. Let me have the chance to stop the fighting, the danger. That's all I'm asking from you. Not to be taken back. Just to be given the chance to explain myself, and to be your friend.
-Harry
He looked at the letter. Why hadn't it come to him before? He was so silly to have not realized about Wormtail. He ran upstairs to get dressed. He promised himself that he would talk to Dumbledore as soon as possible.
He got his chance that morning. He found he had a spare period first, so he went to Dumbledore's office.
He said the password and walked up the spiral staircase to the large oak doors. He knocked once on the griffin shaped knocker.
"Come in." Dumbledore's voice came.
Harry opened the door. "Good morning, Professor."
Dumbledore looked at him. "Did you not get Sirius' note?"
Harry nodded. "I got it, thank you. I wanted to ask you. . . does the Order know that Wormtail is not in Azkaban?"
Dumbledore smiled. "Professor Lupin has been waiting for you to notice that. He was quite disappointed that you had not realized it yet."
Harry cocked his head to the side quizzically.
"We know, Harry. But it is very difficult to catch a rat. Especially a rat who knows the identities of everyone looking for him. We weren't getting too worried about not finding him, as he is a coward, and will not attack in his master's name unless there is something in it for him. Thus, we know that something is happening."
Harry looked at him blankly.
"Harry, we believe it was Peter Pettigrew who attacked you two weeks ago. And we believe that something is happening, something we don't know very much about. Sirius believes that is why he is back."
Harry was confused. He knew exactly what Dumbledore meant, Wormtail would never attack without a reason. "But you can find out, right? I mean, last time, you found out almost everything."
Dumbledore shook his head. "Last time, a prophecy was made directly to me, and we had been working for fifteen years on it. Now, there is no prophecy, there is no time. We have a lot less to work with."
Harry nodded. "Thank you, Professor. I have to get to class."
He walked silently back to the Gryffindor Tower to pick up his book bag. If Wormtail was still around, that meant that there was still danger. He could be lurking behind any corner, in any doorway. Harry shook the thoughts out of his head. He was being silly.
Fifteen minutes later, Harry met Hermione in front of their DADA classroom. Harry realized he'd barely been in class for a month before he'd left, and it made him smile, being back again. They took two seats at the front of the room.
"Good morning, class." Lupin walked to the front of the room. "Welcome back to our class, Harry." He smiled at him.
Harry smiled back. "It's good to be back."
(A/N I can't think o any interesting animals or spells, so I'm going to skip most of the classes. I know what they're doing in Potions, and that's basically it. so I'm going to skip over the lesson completely.)
The bell rang far too soon. "It's not fair, why do we have to leave DADA for Potions?"
Hermione sighed. "I hate to say it, but I agree with you."
Harry raised his eyebrows.
"We're starting to make Veritaserum today. It's probably the hardest potion we've ever made. But guess what we're doing after!"
Harry shrugged. He didn't really feel like guessing, and Hermione looked very excited to tell him.
"Polyjuice Potion!"
Harry grinned, thinking back to his second year.
Hermione's face fell. "I just hope we don't have to test it."
"Test what?" Ron asked, joining them. Hermione just shook her head. It wasn't important.
Harry didn't say anything. He was too busy thinking about Wormtail, and everything Dumbledore had told him. He didn't want to tell them, he knew exactly how they would react. Ron would get worried and not know what to do, and Hermione would tell him to be careful. He decided, after a moment, that they deserved to know anyway.
"Do you guys remember Wormtail?" Harry asked quietly.
Ron went slightly pale. "Yeah, he was my rat, Harry."
"Well, he's still alive. And he's not in Azkaban. The Order wasn't looking too hard for him, because they didn't think he'd do anything unless there was something in it for him, right?"
Hermione nodded slowly, not understanding Harry's point.
"Dumbledore thinks something is up. It may have been Wormtail who attacked me, and Sirius thinks that this is why he's come back. Something may be happening."
Ron's eyes grew wide. "Gee, Harry, what are you going to do?"
Hermione stayed fairly calm, but her eyes grew slightly wide too. "Be careful, Harry."
This actually comforted him. The predictability of his friends made life a lot easier.
Five minutes later, they walked into the Potions dungeon.
Snape walked in. "We are starting Veritaserum, as you all should know, if you were paying attention last class. Potter!" He said sharply. "What is Veritaserum?"
Harry looked up at him, feeling intense loathing, again. "It is a colourless, odourless liquid that makes the drinker tell the truth."
Snape frowned. "Very good." He said icily, clearly upset that Harry had gotten it correct.
"Veritaserum is a complex potion that is required for N.E.W.T. levels. It will take you a few weeks, and is exceedingly difficult. The instructions are on the board, please read them carefully."
Harry read the instructions before he started. Snape was telling the truth, it was incredibly complicated. He got to work.
An hour and a half later, Harry hadn't done anything wrong. He hoped.
"Your potion should be a transparent yellow, about the colour of urine." No one giggled, they all knew better. "It should be giving off a slight scent of orange, which should go away, after we let it sit until next class and add more ingredients next class."
Harry looked into his cauldron. Transparent yellow, smelling like oranges. He looked up and grinned at Hermione, who's potion was also correct.
After they cleaned up, they walked out of the classroom.
Ron groaned. "Mine smelled more like rancid oranges."
Harry laughed. "You'll do fine, don't worry, Ron. It's better than Crabbe's, his was bright green. It looked radioactive."
Ron looked puzzled at the word. Hermione rolled her eyes and told him to forget it.
"And Goyle's exploded, did you see? " She laughed.
After lunch, they had History of Magic and Care of Magical Creatures. "Great," Harry said. "More catching up to do."
Ron shrugged. "I don't know, it's not like we ever work in History of Magic. We just copy Hermione's notes; I don't think it will be a problem."
* * * * *
The next morning, Harry got a letter at owl post.
"Who's it from?" Ron asked, spraying food everywhere. Hermione made a face from behind her book.
Harry shook his head. "It's not important." He mumbled. Ron shrugged and went back to his food. Hermione didn't look up.
Harry hoped he knew who it was from. He shoved it in his pocket to look at later.
He found time during lunch. Hermione was in the library, and Ron was far too busy with his food.
He opened it slowly. He didn't know what it was going to say.
Dear Harry:
I got your letter. That's wonderful for you. It doesn't matter to me that you have no choice. I still don't want to deal with it. I don't want to be your friend, and I don't appreciate the fact that you tried to talk to me, when I asked you not to. Please, for both of our sakes, don't do it again.
-Cho
"Err, Ron, I'm going up to have a nap before class, I'll see you at Charms, okay?"
Ron nodded, and Harry walked up to his dorm.
He sat down on his bed and opened the letter again. He read it over. It seemed so rude, so unlike Cho. But then he noticed something he hadn't the first time.
There were tears splattered down the page, and her writing was shaky.
Harry sighed. She wanted to stay, but she knew it would be harder. She knew that, in the long run, it would be easier.
He flopped back, thinking that maybe things would get easier for him.
* * * * *
The next few days flew by in a flurry of extra school work, extra Quiddich practice, and Head Boy duties.
Before Harry knew it, it was Halloween, and he and Hermione were decorating with the prefects and teachers.
"I do enjoy the decorations, but I really wanted to hold an extra Quiddich practice!" Harry said to Hermione.
She rolled her eyes. "That's all you boys think about. It's just a silly game."
Harry glared at her.
The Halloween feast was delicious. One of the things that Harry loved about feasts was that everyone hung out with everyone. It wasn't just him, Hermione and Ron, it was the entire seventh year. He spent the evening laughing with Seamus, Dean, Neville, and Ron, while Hermione chatted with the girls in their year, Parvati and Lavender.
All the fun of the evening almost made. Harry forget that they had a Quiddich game the next day.
"Check." Ron said. Harry sighed as he looked at the pathetic game board.
It's not fair, Ron. You're too good." He had three pieces left, Ron had three missing.
Ron sighed dramatically, grinning. "It's like I said before. You're a loser."
Harry grinned. "Yeah, but you're a sidekick."
Hermione sat up. "Harry!" She said sharply.
"Hey, why doesn't he get yelled at?"
Hermione frowned. "Because you are Head Boy. You have to set an example. Especially since you are also Quiddich Captain."
Harry jumped. "Quiddich! I have to make the team go to bed! What time is it?"
"Ten o'clock."
Harry groaned. "I can't believe I forgot. . ."
He stood up. "Oy! Quiddich team! Bed, now! Jeremy Snigg and James Dent! Go!" He pointed to the two boys, who were playing Exploding Snap in the corner. He glanced around the rest of the room, looking for Saqua, Katie, and Ginny. He spotted Ginny helping another girl put away a chess set. She nodded at him, and walked upstairs. He spotted Saqua walking upstairs, and found out from a few fourth year girls that Katie had gone to sleep a few minutes earlier.
"Well, Goodnight, Hermione." He said.
She nodded. "Good night, Harry."
"Yeah, good night, mate." Ron said.
Harry frowned. "Ron, you're coming too. You are on the team."
Ron groaned. "I have to go to bed at the same time as third years?"
Harry nodded, smiling weakly. "Now, Ron. I'm going too. We've got to play against Hufflepuff tomorrow."
Harry actually slept well that night, for the first time in a long while. He woke up early the next morning, ready for action. He looked over at Ron, who was still snoring softly. He got up and got dressed before he woke Ron up.
"Mmmph. . . go away. More sleep." He rolled over.
Harry shook him harder. "Wake up, Ron! We have Quiddich."
He sat up. "I'm awake, I'm awake." He said, but his eyes were still closed.
Harry threw a pillow at him, and he opened his eyes.
"Fine, I'm up." He stood up, and a few minutes later later, they were walking down to the Great Hall. "It's way too early for this."
Harry smiled weakly. "Just eat, Ron." He said, and went to check with Ginny if all the girls are here."
They were all in the Great Hall, and after Harry forced them all to eat, they made their way down to the Quiddich pitch.
"Alright, is everyone dressed?" Harry asked. He glanced around, and could see everyone in their Quiddich robes. "Excellent. Now, as I'm sure you all know, I'm not that great at these speeches. But you also know that we have an amazing team, and we are definitely the best team in school. Now lets go and show Hufflepuff that they haven't got a chance."
Ginny brushed against him as they walked out. "I don't see why you say you're so bad at giving speeches. You always did well in the DA, and you do well here."
Harry grinned, and she rolled her eyes.
After kicked off the ground, Harry started looking for the snitch, but it was no where to be found. After almost an hour, he still hadn't seen anything.
"Hurry up, Harry!" Ron called, when Harry circled towards his end of the pitch.
Harry frowned. "Don't rush me, Ron." He flew higher above the pitch, scanning over it. The Hufflepuff seeker, Jasmine Cooper, was at the other end of the pitch, looking over it. Just at that moment, Harry saw a flicker of gold near the ground, on the opposite end of the pitch. He knew if he dove for it, Cooper would see, and dive too, thus getting to the snitch before him. He had to do something, something that would either catch her attention for long enough, or fool her.
When he couldn't think of any distractions, Harry decided to move slowly towards the other end of the pitch, making like he was looking around. It worked, and Cooper didn't give him a second glance. Then when he was just below her . . . he dove. Before Cooper could react, Harry was almost holding onto it. He grabbed the snitch, and not a moment too soon. He flew above the pitch, waving the snitch in the air.
"Great catch, Harry!" Ron yelled. Harry grinned.
A few minutes later, Harry rounded up his team members in the change room. "Alright, people, I don't want to be rude, but that game was horrible. I don't know what got into you. Last game, we played so well, and you've all been doing well in practice. I think maybe you are all tired from the festivities last night, but now you know how to set your priorities. And I want to start having morning practices as well, just in case. I'm not risking any games, I don't want it to depend that much on me. I want you to play as though I wasn't there, as if you had to stay 160 points ahead, so you would still win. Am I clear?"
They all nodded.
"Great, I'll see you all at seven o'clock tomorrow morning."
The entire room groaned, and Harry had to hold himself back from groaning himself. "Come on, guys. It's the weekend, cheer up!"
A few of them rolled their eyes, but Ginny and Ron smiled. The three of them walked outside, where Hermione was waiting for them.
"Congratulations, guys!" She grinned.
"Thanks, Hermione." Ginny grinned.
"Come on, let's get to the celebration party, it's going to start without us!" Harry said. They walked quickly up to the Gryffindor tower, where, as Harry had guessed, the celebration had started already.
Someone had found a banner Dean had made in a previous year, and, again, someone had gone to the kitchens, and brought back Butterbeer and pastries. The party was in full swing, and as Harry walked in, he looked around at all the people.
Everyone was smiling, quite a few people were dancing, and everyone was having fun. Harry felt like he'd been transported into an amazing new place. The night before, everyone had been relaxing, playing games, being calm. Now, everyone was up and moving, partying, having fun.
"This is great!" He said to Ron, a few minutes later.
Ron nodded, grinning. "Best party we've had yet."
That was, of course, until Professor McGonagall came in to tell them to keep it down. "It may be a weekend, but there are still people trying to sleep." She turned on her heel, and walked out.
Harry sighed. "I think I need to sleep, too." Harry said. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."
Ron nodded, and Hermione said good night. Harry walked up the stairs and fell asleep before he hit the bed.
* * * * *
The next month and a half passed slowly, with much more homework than Harry would have liked. He spent so much time writing Potions Essays, practicing charms, and memorising History of Magic notes.
"This is stupid. Why do we have to memorise this stuff? It's not even Christmas!" Ron said, tossing his book on the table.
Harry sighed. "Yeah, Hermione, why do we have to study this stuff? I've got enough work already."
Hermione looked up from behind her book. "Because this is our N.E.W.T. year. This is the year that means everything. If you don't get outstanding in all of your classes, you might not get into the career you want." The next thing she directed at Harry. "You dropped one of your classes, and you are hugely ahead in Defence Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration. No complaining from you."
Harry frowned, but he knew Hermione was right. He decided that he had too much on his mind to study, and went upstairs. He walked directly to the window, scanning the skies for owls. He was waiting, every day, for Sirius to send him information. In his last letter, he said he'd seen no sign of Wormtail, but he had come across good evidence that said he was out and about. Harry hadn't been attacked again since October, but he knew it would only be so long before something happened. He'd been receiving worse and worse treatment from the Slytherins, but it was nothing he couldn't handle.
He sighed. It was hard. He wished he wasn't at Hogwarts, and it was one of the few times he ever had. The only difference was, this time, everyone didn't think he was a killer.
Where he wanted to be was with Cho, back in London, even for just a day. He hadn't thought about it too often, he couldn't. He also couldn't talk to anyone about it. He had told Ron that he'd broken up with Cho, but he couldn't tell him that two months later, he was still thinking about her.
It wasn't that he hadn't gotten over her, or that he was obsessing over her, it wasn't that at all. He just missed her, and he thought about her sometimes.
Harry walked back to his bed and sat down. Christmas break was to start in less than a week, and Harry was quite sure that he would be alone. Ron was going home, because his parents wanted him to visit Bill (A/N: is that the one who works in Egypt? I think Charlie works in Romania, but they kept going home in the books, so I was confused) in Egypt with them. Hermione was going home as well, her parents wanted to see her, and she wanted to get lots of studying in the holidays.
Harry was not set to go anywhere. He was staying right where he was. Where would he be able to go, anyway? The Dursleys? He didn't mind much, he could practice Quiddich a bit, get some quiet studying in, and have plenty of time for himself.
Harry pulled out another set of notes, as he'd left his History of Magic notes in the common room, and studied them until he fell asleep.
The next day, the sign up sheet for staying for the holidays was up on the notice board. But that was not all that was up. There was a notice to any students who were planning on staying over the break.
THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC WILL BE WORKING OUT OF HOGWARTS FOR THE
CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS, AS THE MINISTRY IS UNDER RENOVATION.
Please be prepared for the Minister and his staff. Please work quietly
when outside of your common room, and be prepared to give directions
or any other help to ANY MINISTRY STAFF THAT ASKS IT.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wow, almost four thousand words! So cool!
Kraeq001: I'm glad you like it!
Slimpun: Ummm..that was an incredibly long run on sentence, and I can't really understand it. I think you were trying to get me to write about something, but I'm not sure.
Wuzup13579: hold your horses. Don't be such a wuss! Kidding, you'll have to wait.
Light_of_the_moon: I think I already answered this one, didn't I? I can't remember.
Dragoon knight: no, Cho isn't gone for good, but they're not going to have one of those 'oh, I realized I can't live without you' moments. I'm not planning on Cho being too much for Harry until my next story, which will be about after he graduates. Though I might just add it on the end of this one, instead of starting a new one.
Well, that's all for today, with not nearly enough reviews! Well, actually, that's not quite true. I'm up to 50 reviews, just in this story. It's fun fun fun!
-unolimbo