Author's Notes - This is a totally new ever seen before chapter, sorry it
took such a long time but my exams have now finished and I can write again!
That is if I'm not killed at some point because of the results. And I have
finished reediting the other chapters, at least, so now I can carry on with
the new chapters! Sorry it's short! Quiddich tryouts are going to be quite
long and I think they need a chapter of their own so that's the next
chapter, Sunday the lastest!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
*~
-Chapter Ten-
Owl Post
"It's strange that only you and Neville could have done anything with those cushions," said Hermione thoughtfully over breakfast the next morning, Ron was not down yet.
Harry just shrugged, he did not know why he and Neville could do it and the others couldn't. Again there was very little noise in the hall, everyone seemed to be waiting for something
"I mean," Hermione continued, her porridge spoon suspended in mid air. "You were the only one who could throw off the Imperius Curse completely. But that doesn't explain why Neville could do it?"
"Post's late," Harry said trying to distract Hermione. Hermione lowered her spoon, and looked around the great hall.
"You're right," she said after a moment. "I wonder why?"
Just then, Ron arrived, muttering something about over sleeping. He loaded his plate, eating quickly. After throwing Ron a disgusted look, Hermione turned back to Harry.
"When's the first DA meeting?" Hermione said starting to eat again.
"Sometime after the Quiddich tryouts," Harry said. There was a fluttering of wings, which announced the post owls' arrival. A brown owl flew down to Hermione, with a copy of the Daily Prophet. Ron had an owl too, a handsome screech owl that Harry vaguely recognized.
Hermione gasped, she showed Harry the front page. Most of the page had been taken up by a black and white photo of a pretty suburban house, above the house was the thing that held Harry transfixed. The Dark Mark. Even in a photo, it could still send a shiver down Harry's back. The rest on the page was taken up by the headline, which ran: THE FIRST WIZARDING FAMILY ATTACKED BY YOU-KNOW-WHO IN FIFTEEN YEARS
Hermione started to read aloud, "'The last attack made by You-Know-Who was made on the Potters' home in Godric's Hollow, where Harry Potter, 16, brought us fifteen years to rebuild our world. Yesterday, however, marks the first serious on the wizarding community. Up until yesterday, the only serous attacks had been directed at muggles, with a few minor incidents in Diagon Alley and Hogsmead. Early yesterday afternoon Remus Lupin, 38, went round to the Diggles' home in Haslemere, Surrey. Remus Lupin said he was 'alarmed' to see the dark mark hanging over the house. He entered only to find all three of the Diggles' Bodies in the sitting room. They had all been subjected, by unknown person or persons, to the Cruciatus curse, repeatedly including the Diggles' three-year-old daughter, Jessica Diggle, before being killed. There is no known reason for this attack, although it is hoped that the perpetrators will soon be caught. The Minster for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, last night expressed his concern, "it is terrible that this has happened and we are doing everything in our power to catch those responsible and prevent Lord - thingy from doing anything like it again. I beg the Magical community to remain virulent."' Like they can stop it from happening again." Hermione said angrily, "that poor little girl."
"Just like Fudge that, 'we are doing everything in our power' yeah right like they were last year too!" Harry said angrily.
"What's the matter Ron?" Hermione said, "I know it's horrid and Fudge is an idiot, but you look like you are going to kill someone."
Harry looked round at Ron, he had a letter in his hand which his was slowly squeezing, his face had gone purple.
"Who's the letter from?" Harry said trying to be calm.
"The world's biggest git," Ron said at last. "Who does Percy think he is?"
"What's he done?" Hermione said in shock.
Ron seemed to be having trouble on finding the right words. "He's - he's tried to apologize again". He said after a moment, "I don't believe him..."
"But what does he say?" Harry interrupted.
"Oh yeah, right," Ron said, fumbling with the letter. "Here you look." He said thrusting the letter at Harry, so he and hermione could read it together.
Dear Ron, I hope you are well? I would like to apologize for my behaviour last year, to you in particular. My letter to you last September was unpardonable. I should have acted more sensibly, I should have put my trust in our parents. I should have know that father would not risk everything without being justified. My love for order seems to have blinded me. I cannot justify what I have done, that is not the point of me writing this letter; all I can hope to do is show you that I am truly sorry for it. I hope you did not show my last letter to Harry, what I said about him was unfounded and unkind. I very much regret what I said about him, and if you do show him the letter, please be so good as to apologize to him for me. On a different matter, I was wondering if Fred and George have said anything to you? I tried to apologize to them yesterday, but they refused to hear me out. I hope you will do me the honour of accepting my apologies, All the best Your brother Percy
"Well, are you?" Harry said handing the letter back.
Ron looked blankly at him. "Am I what?"
"Going to - what was it - do him the 'honour of accepting' his apologies?" Harry said trying to sound amused.
In answer Ron tore up the letter, Harry smiled in relief, his confidence returning.
"Try to get me to smooth things out with Fred and George will you," Ron said to the bits of paper that had once been Percy's letter. "Well that will teach you. How many more times are you going to apologise hey?"
Hermione was making her tutting noise that usual meant they were behind on homework.
"What?" Ron said rounding on her angrily, "no, let me guess, you want me to forgive him?"
"Well why not", Hermione said, "He's said he's sorry hasn't he, what else do you want from him?"
Harry and Ron were starring at her as if she was from another planet.
"Hermione how can you say that?" Ron said heatedly, as Hermione disappeared behind the newspaper. "After what he did last year."
"Easily," she said calmly, "It's like what Dumbledore said at the end of the last year 'put your trust in those you who trust you, and who better to trust than your own family. Now is the time when family bonds become more important then ever before.' So you should forgive Percy because his is your brother and he is sorry for what he did."
"When did he said that?" Harry said.
"At the leaving feast", Hermione said lying down the paper at least. "Don't you remember, just after he mentioned you?"
"Never mind what Dumbledore said, I'm not forgiving Percy." Ron said impatiently, and they were off bickering as usual, Harry who did not feel like playing peacekeeper finished his breakfast instead.
*
The following Friday afternoon saw Harry and Ron heading down to the Quiddich pitch in good spirits brooms over their shoulders. Harry was beginning to notice that he was being followed, at a respectful distance, but followed nonetheless. Teachers very often to be found walking about ten meters behind him. Today Madam Hooch was walking behind them on her way down to the Quiddich pitch to supervise the tryouts. This in itself was innocent, except Harry had noticed her in the Entrance Hall a good ten minutes before he had left the castle. It did not bug him that he was being followed, what bugged him was that no one had told him.
"I wonder how many are going to turn up?" said Ron, who do not seem to have noticed anything odd.
"I dunno," Harry said thoughtfully, "come to think about it I've never been to a tryout before."
"You must've," Ron said in disbelief.
"I haven't," Harry said, "I joined the team because of Malfoy and Neville's Remembrall. I missed your tryout because of Umbridge, and then Ginny's because of the ban."
"Yeah, you're right," Ron said soberly, "but you played must of the matches right?"
"Not really," Harry said. "The only year that I played all three matches was third year and I was unconscious before the end of the first remember?"
"Yeah, I remember now," Ron said frowning slightly. "Why was that again? Oh yeah the Dementors, I'd forgotten about them. You really have the worst luck."
Harry just smiled sadly, 'and you only know the half of it.' He thought to himself, 'no don't think about that now, not right before playing Quiddich.'
While his mind firmly on Quiddich, he entered the changing-room with Ron to find the rest of the team. Katie Bell, Andrew Kirke and Jack Sloper were waiting for them.
"Hello everyone," Harry said putting his broom, "how many people turned up?"
"Hi, 'bout fifteen," Katie grinning ear to ear, "it's great to have you back on the team."
"It's nice to be back, come on let's find to two new chasers."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~
Thank you for reviewing to TuxedoMac, Ellavira, wildmageisme06 and The Mystical Elf.
Loony bout Lupin - Thanks, I hope I did ok!
sami - Dudley will be in it again soon, but he can't be around every corner now can he?
rhinemjr - I ran out of time! Sorry it's fixed now.
daj - glad to hear it! (
power-of -the-lightning-bolt - I do use I spell check, but dyslexic means word blind, I can't read the right word to pick from the spell check!
Neri - Yes I am, I have a reading age of an eight year old! But I don't let that stop me (. I've ever heard that rumour before. Thanks for telling me.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
*~
-Chapter Ten-
Owl Post
"It's strange that only you and Neville could have done anything with those cushions," said Hermione thoughtfully over breakfast the next morning, Ron was not down yet.
Harry just shrugged, he did not know why he and Neville could do it and the others couldn't. Again there was very little noise in the hall, everyone seemed to be waiting for something
"I mean," Hermione continued, her porridge spoon suspended in mid air. "You were the only one who could throw off the Imperius Curse completely. But that doesn't explain why Neville could do it?"
"Post's late," Harry said trying to distract Hermione. Hermione lowered her spoon, and looked around the great hall.
"You're right," she said after a moment. "I wonder why?"
Just then, Ron arrived, muttering something about over sleeping. He loaded his plate, eating quickly. After throwing Ron a disgusted look, Hermione turned back to Harry.
"When's the first DA meeting?" Hermione said starting to eat again.
"Sometime after the Quiddich tryouts," Harry said. There was a fluttering of wings, which announced the post owls' arrival. A brown owl flew down to Hermione, with a copy of the Daily Prophet. Ron had an owl too, a handsome screech owl that Harry vaguely recognized.
Hermione gasped, she showed Harry the front page. Most of the page had been taken up by a black and white photo of a pretty suburban house, above the house was the thing that held Harry transfixed. The Dark Mark. Even in a photo, it could still send a shiver down Harry's back. The rest on the page was taken up by the headline, which ran: THE FIRST WIZARDING FAMILY ATTACKED BY YOU-KNOW-WHO IN FIFTEEN YEARS
Hermione started to read aloud, "'The last attack made by You-Know-Who was made on the Potters' home in Godric's Hollow, where Harry Potter, 16, brought us fifteen years to rebuild our world. Yesterday, however, marks the first serious on the wizarding community. Up until yesterday, the only serous attacks had been directed at muggles, with a few minor incidents in Diagon Alley and Hogsmead. Early yesterday afternoon Remus Lupin, 38, went round to the Diggles' home in Haslemere, Surrey. Remus Lupin said he was 'alarmed' to see the dark mark hanging over the house. He entered only to find all three of the Diggles' Bodies in the sitting room. They had all been subjected, by unknown person or persons, to the Cruciatus curse, repeatedly including the Diggles' three-year-old daughter, Jessica Diggle, before being killed. There is no known reason for this attack, although it is hoped that the perpetrators will soon be caught. The Minster for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, last night expressed his concern, "it is terrible that this has happened and we are doing everything in our power to catch those responsible and prevent Lord - thingy from doing anything like it again. I beg the Magical community to remain virulent."' Like they can stop it from happening again." Hermione said angrily, "that poor little girl."
"Just like Fudge that, 'we are doing everything in our power' yeah right like they were last year too!" Harry said angrily.
"What's the matter Ron?" Hermione said, "I know it's horrid and Fudge is an idiot, but you look like you are going to kill someone."
Harry looked round at Ron, he had a letter in his hand which his was slowly squeezing, his face had gone purple.
"Who's the letter from?" Harry said trying to be calm.
"The world's biggest git," Ron said at last. "Who does Percy think he is?"
"What's he done?" Hermione said in shock.
Ron seemed to be having trouble on finding the right words. "He's - he's tried to apologize again". He said after a moment, "I don't believe him..."
"But what does he say?" Harry interrupted.
"Oh yeah, right," Ron said, fumbling with the letter. "Here you look." He said thrusting the letter at Harry, so he and hermione could read it together.
Dear Ron, I hope you are well? I would like to apologize for my behaviour last year, to you in particular. My letter to you last September was unpardonable. I should have acted more sensibly, I should have put my trust in our parents. I should have know that father would not risk everything without being justified. My love for order seems to have blinded me. I cannot justify what I have done, that is not the point of me writing this letter; all I can hope to do is show you that I am truly sorry for it. I hope you did not show my last letter to Harry, what I said about him was unfounded and unkind. I very much regret what I said about him, and if you do show him the letter, please be so good as to apologize to him for me. On a different matter, I was wondering if Fred and George have said anything to you? I tried to apologize to them yesterday, but they refused to hear me out. I hope you will do me the honour of accepting my apologies, All the best Your brother Percy
"Well, are you?" Harry said handing the letter back.
Ron looked blankly at him. "Am I what?"
"Going to - what was it - do him the 'honour of accepting' his apologies?" Harry said trying to sound amused.
In answer Ron tore up the letter, Harry smiled in relief, his confidence returning.
"Try to get me to smooth things out with Fred and George will you," Ron said to the bits of paper that had once been Percy's letter. "Well that will teach you. How many more times are you going to apologise hey?"
Hermione was making her tutting noise that usual meant they were behind on homework.
"What?" Ron said rounding on her angrily, "no, let me guess, you want me to forgive him?"
"Well why not", Hermione said, "He's said he's sorry hasn't he, what else do you want from him?"
Harry and Ron were starring at her as if she was from another planet.
"Hermione how can you say that?" Ron said heatedly, as Hermione disappeared behind the newspaper. "After what he did last year."
"Easily," she said calmly, "It's like what Dumbledore said at the end of the last year 'put your trust in those you who trust you, and who better to trust than your own family. Now is the time when family bonds become more important then ever before.' So you should forgive Percy because his is your brother and he is sorry for what he did."
"When did he said that?" Harry said.
"At the leaving feast", Hermione said lying down the paper at least. "Don't you remember, just after he mentioned you?"
"Never mind what Dumbledore said, I'm not forgiving Percy." Ron said impatiently, and they were off bickering as usual, Harry who did not feel like playing peacekeeper finished his breakfast instead.
*
The following Friday afternoon saw Harry and Ron heading down to the Quiddich pitch in good spirits brooms over their shoulders. Harry was beginning to notice that he was being followed, at a respectful distance, but followed nonetheless. Teachers very often to be found walking about ten meters behind him. Today Madam Hooch was walking behind them on her way down to the Quiddich pitch to supervise the tryouts. This in itself was innocent, except Harry had noticed her in the Entrance Hall a good ten minutes before he had left the castle. It did not bug him that he was being followed, what bugged him was that no one had told him.
"I wonder how many are going to turn up?" said Ron, who do not seem to have noticed anything odd.
"I dunno," Harry said thoughtfully, "come to think about it I've never been to a tryout before."
"You must've," Ron said in disbelief.
"I haven't," Harry said, "I joined the team because of Malfoy and Neville's Remembrall. I missed your tryout because of Umbridge, and then Ginny's because of the ban."
"Yeah, you're right," Ron said soberly, "but you played must of the matches right?"
"Not really," Harry said. "The only year that I played all three matches was third year and I was unconscious before the end of the first remember?"
"Yeah, I remember now," Ron said frowning slightly. "Why was that again? Oh yeah the Dementors, I'd forgotten about them. You really have the worst luck."
Harry just smiled sadly, 'and you only know the half of it.' He thought to himself, 'no don't think about that now, not right before playing Quiddich.'
While his mind firmly on Quiddich, he entered the changing-room with Ron to find the rest of the team. Katie Bell, Andrew Kirke and Jack Sloper were waiting for them.
"Hello everyone," Harry said putting his broom, "how many people turned up?"
"Hi, 'bout fifteen," Katie grinning ear to ear, "it's great to have you back on the team."
"It's nice to be back, come on let's find to two new chasers."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~
Thank you for reviewing to TuxedoMac, Ellavira, wildmageisme06 and The Mystical Elf.
Loony bout Lupin - Thanks, I hope I did ok!
sami - Dudley will be in it again soon, but he can't be around every corner now can he?
rhinemjr - I ran out of time! Sorry it's fixed now.
daj - glad to hear it! (
power-of -the-lightning-bolt - I do use I spell check, but dyslexic means word blind, I can't read the right word to pick from the spell check!
Neri - Yes I am, I have a reading age of an eight year old! But I don't let that stop me (. I've ever heard that rumour before. Thanks for telling me.