Author's Note: Hey, guys! I've got tons to post, and I'm still typing it all up. I just wanted to say thank you for all the reviews, they are the true reason I've kept going and why I'm so motivated! I luv u all very much! I do:)
Chapter 11: The Trip Back Home (Joy! Not.)
Thursday,
December 9th
10:22 PM
Finally I received a reply! Mum sent in the following note:
Dear Jules,
It's perfectly alright, dear. Headmaster Dumbledore explained everything to me. I will see you on the 16th.
Love,
Mum
P.S
Enough silly jokes about your father! You should be more respectful.
Yeah, right, whatever you say, Mum.
Blinky looked half-dead when he flew in at owl post this morning. He has only got himself to blame, though, seeing as he has the smallest owl brain known to….er, owls. All the other owls must tease him and peck him to death about it, and he can't find any owl mates…shut up, brain!
Anyway, the strange part is, Harry and I haven't even talked about him coming over during vacation. It's almost as if he doesn't know! But surely Prof. D told him? Boys are so strange! Hummmm, SGs are not, though. Harry is walking over to me right now…oh bloody hell, what is he going to say?
11:06 PM
Well, Harry knows! He came over to me and said, "Hi, Julia. Thanks for having me over for the break. I, er…I really needed it." He smiled, his green eyes sparkling. I just stared at him for a while. I finally managed to stutter, "Oh…that. When did Prof. D, er, I mean, Prof. Dumbledore tell you?" He grinned and said, "A while ago. Is there anyone else going?" Er, no, marvy sex god, it's just going to be you and me for ever and ever… "Er, yeah. My best friend Diana is going, and so is Ginny." His cheeks flushed slightly at the mention of Ginny's name, and a hint of a smile played on his lips. I felt a stab of jealously. He said, "Okay then. I got to go…er, I'll see you later." Ah, the famous see you later dilemma Georgia is always going on about.
Wednesday, December 14th
6:17 PM
Started packing. Ginny keeps going on about which robes she should bring and do I wear robes at home? The answer is no, I don't. I usually just "chill" as those Americans would say, in my hip tops and jeans when I'm at home, mostly because dad would have another of his insane wizarding attacks/phases if he so much as caught a glimpse of me in my robes.
Di kept looking sympathetically at me while Ginny wouldn't shut up. God, this holiday is going to be absolute crap.
7:02 PM
Where will Harry sleep? James' room? Erlack!
7:03 PM
Oh, marvy! I have just realized my brother has the same name as Harry's father! Who is dead, by the way (the father, not my brother, sadly enough). What a depressing thought.
Friday, December 16th
9:10 PM
Ugh. A crappy start to a crappy day. I woke up this morning, and got dressed in my favourite top and jeans. I draped a cloak over myself and tried to ignore Ginny's constant chatting and Di's annoying looks. I huffily mumbled that I'd be downstairs with Jenna (dear God, ahs it come to that?) and grabbed my trunk. Di and Ginny followed me outside the dormitory to join the crowd of Gryffindor students who had assembled in the common room, all who were going home.
I saw Harry talking to that girl Hermione and Ginny's brother, Ron. "Be right back!" said Ginny excitedly as she went to join them. I felt horrible as I saw them talking and laughing. Di put her arm around me and coached me through the three stages of depression: depressed, very depressed, and very very depressed.
After a while, the joy that is Prof. McGonagall grumpily lectured us and checked off our names on the list, at which point Ginny came back, and Jenna joined us (she had been checking over her suitcase for the 30000th time near the fireplace. All is can say is, that suitcase won't last too long with Jenna as its owner).
Then all the Gryffindors piled out the portrait of the fat lady. Jenna and Ginny were raving on for Britain as I sulked. We all walked down to the entrance hall led by Prof. McGonagall, who seemed to relax more now that we were leaving. And honestly, with the hell hole we've put her through this term, who can blame her?
We headed out the doors and faced the cold, grey, rainy weather. Oh, how I love my bright and tropical country. Not. We boarded the Hogwarts Express at the station near Hogsmaede, and we met Beth and Aggie who were saving a compartment for us. Surprisingly, Ginny didn't ditch us for Harry and his friends. Fab. This journey has barely started and I am already praying for it to end.
5:06 PM
What a beautiful world (the very very depressed phase is kicking in)! Harry, Hermione, and Ron joined us in the compartment, since everywhere else was full. It was very very awkward at first, with Jenna making agonizing small talk and Ginny trying to break the silence eagerly.
Then Ron suggested a game of Exploding Snap and things livened up when Jenna's hair caught fire. The ice was broken (well, melted) somewhat and we all started to talk like we were old friends.
Hermione told us about her classes (Aggie was listening attentively) and gave us studying tips on the OWLs, while Ron rolled his eyes at her and me and Di giggled silently under Beth's don't-be-so-mean-to-others frown. Ginny and Harry were acting casual (cough), and I was actually cheered up a bit.
Everything was fine until we heard the compartment door slide open and saw a pile of slugs there (well, not really slugs…more like Slytherins, but what's the difference?). Draco Malfoy, Emily, her friend Laura, Goyle, Crabbe and Pansy Parkinson were standing there smirking at us.
Harry and Ron immediately rose from their seats to glare at them. The air was tense as Draco sneered at Harry and said, "Why, it's Potty…and the two Weasels." Right on cue all the Slytherins laughed. It was like watching a badly done play. Urgh. Ginny and Ron turned bright red and Harry opened his mouth to say something when Hermione rose and said, "Oh yes, very funny. Truly witty." The Slytherins laughed again as Draco said, "Don't you try to insult me, Granger. Your filthy mudblood words mean nothing to me." Hermione looked ready to slap him, and I realized that the rumour that she had indeed slapped him in my second year appeared to be true.
But this time, something inside me said it was my turn. Like at the Halloween feast. I rose at an alarming speed, surprising everyone, the gem of my necklace glowing eerily. I charged at the Drawling loser known as Malfoy and before he could say anything, I pulled out my wand and hit him with two spells square in the chest (the paralysing jinx and then the bat bogey hex). He fell to the ground as Pansy, Laura, and Emily screamed.
But I had forgotten about Crabbe and Goyle. Crap. They both headed over to me, ready to bash me in the head, but something hit me in the chest and as blackness clouded me, I vaguely saw Emily aiming her wand at me for a second curse. I remember falling to the ground and then I saw no more.
8:52 PM
The bloody bump on my head is the size of Snape's nose. Urgh. The pain is even worse. Well, after about a half hour I woke to find Prof. Delacour bending over me, frowning. Typical. I instantly rose and noticed Harry, Hermione, Ron, Jenna, Di, Aggie, Beth, and Ginny all peering at me. I blinked and croaked, "I'm alright. What happened?" Then Prof. Delacour muttered something in French, said she'd be back and left.
Immediately, Di and Jenna launched into a long description of what happened. I was only half-listening (and half admiring Harry), but apparently, Emily had hit me with a jinx and I passed out. Then before Emily could hit me again Harry stepped in and blocked the spell. Di ran to get Prof. Delacour who started yelling madly in French, and just about killed all the Slytherins (Draco had surprisingly woken up by this point. Bastard). Then she tended to me and I had woken up. Joy.
A moment later Prof. Delacour came back and said we were nearly at King's Cross. She said my mum should cure me with a spell I didn't know, and I said thanks. Yeah, right, like mum will ever touch a wand. She's ok with me being a witch, but her? I don't think so. The train is stopping now. Stop, smiling, Ginny! I don't think she knows what's in store for her.
