Reviewers, reviewers, you make my day grand.
With your faithful critiquing, keeps my stories un-bland.
And now you've reviewed this 100 times!
Here's hugs to you all, and a really lame rhyme!
You guys rule! Thank you thank you thank you! In honor of you stellar readers, I made this chapter a little longer than usual. Hope you like it! Love you guys! And, of course, before we begin, personalized thank you's:
Harry'sbabygirl: Thanks!
Annmarie Aspasia: Thank you! Hope you like this chapter.
Annmarie Leah: Hey, thanks! Glad you like it! And no, I don't have MSN, but I do have AOL IM. So you're a Canadian, aye? (::snickers::) Sorry, couldn't help it. We here in Oregon do like to poke fun at you Canada folk. :)
insertgoodnamehere: Ahh, many a good questions. This chapter tells who the girl was...it's subtle, but I'm sure you'll catch it. And yes, some of those things were clues...Shhh! ;)
tina7610813: Thanks for the review! :)
Nutty AL: Ah, maybe not TOO long, but this story is taking longer than I anticipated. Thank you!
Carmleinak: Thanks! :)
Misty's Dawn: Actually, that was not a stupid question, therefore I will not answer. ;)
Dk Lili: I love Sirius too! He's my absolute fave! Thank you!
RiRiana: Hey, thank you for reviewing a bunch! Glad you like it!
loudnproud223: Well, here's a bit of that diary...Thanks!
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Silwen Aurdomiel: K, here's the update! With--gasp--ANOTHER cliffie?!? evil laughs
NB80: Dean has a purpose, really, he does! Thank you for reading!
blue-hair-rocks: Ah, I hate midterms!!!! Glad you like this!
Nathanael A. Riddick: Hey, really good point. I feel kinda dumb for not catching that myself, because it's so true, so as you'll see in this chapter, I decided to add a bit of a twist to the plot. Thanks!
Shrimp5391: Thank you!
Harry/Ginnyfan4ever: I know--this chapter didn't really get ANYWHERE with H/G, but I PROMISE you it is coming! And I did indeed read your fic, and I like! Don't remember if I reviewed...I'll check. Thank you!
And now, on to:
Chapter 10: Reading the Diary One
Huddled around the green diary, Harry, Ron and Hermione silently read the first entry in the book.
July 15
Dear Diary,
The weirdest thing happened a couple of days ago. I got a letter from a school called Hogwarts. What's weirder than a school actually being named after hogs and warts is that they sent me my letter not through normal post, but by a bird. I think it was an owl, and it carried me my letter in his talons. I know. Super strange. Mum and Daddy thought it was a joke, but Petunia and I got really excited, because it said on the envelope that it was a school of witchcraft and wizardry. Like, magic stuff.
Petunia was a little sad that she never got a letter, I think, but she was really nice about it, and when Daddy wouldn't let me see the letter until he read it and contacted the sender to see if it was a joke or something, she and I went over to Kelly and Nissa's. We went there today, too. And spied on the Hartford twins. We saw them inside their room from Kelly's bedroom window! Johnny saw us watching them, so he probably told his brother, and now they'll call use stalkers again. I wish Jimmy and Johnny were my age. I guess four years older isn't much, but they think I'm way too little to even think about me. Oh well. I'll grow. Then things will be different.
Jimmy Hartford is sooooo fine! Someday, I'll marry that boy, and Petunia will marry Johnny, and we'll live next door to each other. And all of our kids will be as hot as the twins, except they'll get blue eyes like me and Petunia.
After dinner tonight Daddy says he wants to talk to me about the letter that school sent. I haven't even seen it yet. He's been keeping it hidden from me, which makes me really mad! I'm eleven years old--I'm not a kid anymore! Oh yay! Dinner is soon, I think. It smells yummy! I think we're having roast and mash! I'll tell you all about what happens with that letter and more about Jimmy next time I write!
Until then,
Love you, Lily Evans
"That was so cute!" Hermione cooed as she finished reading the entry. Ron was still silently skimming the passage, not quite finished reading, and Harry was frowning.
"That wasn't much help," he said, disgruntled.
"It's getting there. And the next entry isn't until August 31," Hermione pointed out. "I'll read it." Harry nodded, and Ron looked thankful that he no longer had to squint at the messy cursive the eleven year old Lily had scrawled.
"She and her sister were stalkers," he mused. "You have stalking blood, Harry!" Harry was about to punch Ron half-jokingly in the nose, but before he could, Hermione cleared her throat and began.
"Dear Diary,
"I can't believe how much is happening! It's SO crazy! So remember that letter that school with the funky name sent me? It turned out to be entirely true. Crazy, I know.
"A lady who looked kind of mean came over to our house last week and took me and mum and daddy (Petunia had to stay home. She's still really sad about it) to a place called Diagon Alley. It was like, a magical city. It was inside a gross pub, and you had to tap a wand on a brick to get inside, and it was huge and fantastic!
"I know this all sounds crazy, but I swear I'm not joking, and that I'm not mad, and that it honestly truly happened!
"I got a wand, and I love it! It's so swishy, and gold-ish sparks always emit from it when I swing it around.
"I also got my uniform for school, which it weird, too. It's black robes that look like (surprise) witch robes. They go over normal uniform-like clothing, and they're silky and really soft and comfy, and I love them!
"I also got a big copper thingy called a cauldron, and some weird potion stuff, and lots of textbooks for classes like Herbology and Charms and Transfiguration.
"Tomorrow is the day that the train goes from King's Cross to the school. I'm really scared and really excited all at once!
"The strict-ish teacher (I can't remember her name! There are SO many things I'm trying to keep inside my brain!) told mum exactly how to get onto the platform, and I think mum is really nervous, but she hasn't said why yet.
"Petunia will be coming to see me off. We don't talk much lately, and it's really strange. Whenever we're alone in the same room, she gets up and leaves.
"If going to some silly school where I learn magic means losing my sister, who is my absolute best friend, besides Kelly, I don't think I want to go. But I'm sure things will get back to normal once she adjusts to the idea.
"Christmas holiday we're all going to Italy! And I'm sure Petunia and me will be back to being friends by then. I hope so, at least.
"I still have a lot of packing to do, so I think I'll finish up. I promise to write more later!
"Love always and forever and for always and ever, Lily Evans, the WITCH!"
Hermione glanced up from the diary. Harry looked at his hands, absent-mindedly picking dirt out from under his nails.
"Well, I guess she and your aunt never made up," Ron said. Harry shrugged nonchalantly.
"I reckon not," he said.
"What color of sparks came out of your wand when you bought it, Harry?" Hermione inquired. Harry frowned.
"I don't remember. Why?"
"Because! Try to remember, Harry." Hermione's brown eyes bored into his, and Harry thought for a moment.
"Red and gold? Yeah, it was red and gold sparks." Hermione looked disappointed at this news.
"I thought...ah well, I thought wrong. Forget it."
Harry and Ron shrugged at each other.
"Shall we continue?" Ron said, indicating to the green book.
"Yeah, I think we're getting somewhere. Maybe," Harry said. "Wanna read again, Hermione?" Hermione nodded, still looking thoroughly perplexed.
"This one's dated September 1. The next day," she announced.
"Dear Diary,
"Well, here I am, sprawled upon a strange new bed in a strange, circular room, with deep red velvet curtains drawn around me.
"I am at Hogwarts, now. It's quite interesting.
"There's a boy who looks just like a younger version of Jimmy Hartford here, named Sirius Black. He was even sorted into the same house as me!--Gryffindor.
"There are four houses here: Hufflepuff, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. We were sorted by placing a black hat on our heads, and it would yell which house we belonged in.
"I like the Gryffindor house. The colors are red and gold, which is alright, but I rather wish they were Ravenclaw's colors--blue and bronze.
"And the Head Girl is in Gryffindor. Her name is Stephanie Perks, and she's really nice.
"I got lost a few minutes ago, because me and some of my new friends were trying to find the way to the Hufflepuff common rooms, to visit someone's friend who was sorted into that house, and we got separated when a ghost called 'The Bloody Baron' chased us, and I was crying, I was so confused, and the Head Girl found me and told me it was totally normal to get lost at first, and she helped me find my way back to the Gryffindor common rooms, which have a portrait of a big woman in a pink dress who MOVES and TALKS as the door, and Stephanie reminded me of the password, which is really strange--it's Bertie Bott.
"Anyway, the girls in my dorm are mostly really awesome. I met one on the train, and we're really good friends already. Her name is Natalie Thomas, and she's really pretty. She's black and tall and has long hair in a hundred little braids, and big, chocolatey eyes and a movie star smile. She's a little shy, but really friendly and nice, and when you really start talking to her, you find out she's a really funny girl.
"Then there's Janna. I don't know her last name, because she was sorted before me and I was too nervous about my own sorting to pay attention to anyone else's. She's kind of snobby and bossy, but she's pretty, and has blonde hair and she likes to brag about how her bra size is the same as her sister, who is in fifth year.
"The other girls in my dormitory are Annie Ling, Margaret McGonagall (her mum is the strict teacher who came to my house over the summer!) and a girl named Alice something. I don't know those last three very well at all yet.
"Oh, and I forgot my other exciting news! Jimmy came over this morning before we went to King's Cross to ask mum if she wanted to hire him to mow the lawn, and when he found out I was going off to school for the year, he told me he hoped I'd have fun!
"I miss him. And mum, and daddy, and Petunia. All of the girls in my dorm except for Annie and me have magical families. And ALL of the boys have magic in their families. Annie and me are the only "muggle-borns," as they call us, in the Gryffindor first year group.
"There was a really snotty girl in my compartment on the train named Narcissa or something, and she was going on about how mudbloods shouldn't be allowed into Hogwarts. I guess mudblood is like, a foul name for muggle-borns like me and Annie. Natalie got really angry at her, and we ended up going to a different compartment.
"I'm really surprised that they have like, prejudice here. It's just so weird. But I love it so far. I'm a little overwhelmed, a little homesick, and I miss my soft bed and my light blue walls, but I think it'll be alright here. Or at least I hope it will be.
"Well, Diary, I should get some sleep now. It's getting late, and I have classes tomorrow.
"I just thought of something--What if I turn out to be really bad at magic? Or I wave my wand and nothing happens? I was always at the top of my class before this in school, but magic is different. I don't know ANYTHING! Maybe I should have read all my textbooks before coming?
"At least Natalie will help me out. No use worrying now. Anyway, I'm going to go to sleep now. Or try at least. It's a bit chilly in here. Good night!
"Love you, Lily Evans, of Gryffindor House"
"Narcissa...Malfoy's mum?" Ron spat in disgust.
"I reckon so," Harry agreed. "That entry reminded me so much of my first night at Hogwarts. It was different, but I understand exactly how she felt."
"And the Gryffindor dormitories ARE bloody cold," Ron said. "Even now, twenty or thirty-some years later."
"Harry, where's that photograph of your mum that Sirius sent?" Hermione inquired. "I just had an idea."
"Back in the box. Whatchya thinking?"
"Let me see it, and I'll let you know if it's anything," she replied.
As Harry dug through the box, Ron scratched his head in wonder.
"Hermione, is it just me, or are you a little...I dunno, overexcited about this whole mystery of Harry's mum's eyes?"
Hermione stared at him blankly for a moment.
"Well, it is very intriguing," she said slowly.
"But we've done lots of intriguing stuff over the years. And you never seemed quite so antsy to figure it out," he pointed out.
"Well, this just piqued my interest," Hermione said crisply. Harry looked up from his box, noticing something about her tone of voice. Was Hermione hiding something from him and Ron?
She avoided his eyes carefully. Harry returned to his search for the framed photo, and right when he found it, Mrs. Weasley thumped on the door.
"Will you three please come downstairs for a moment?" she asked in a rather hushed voice, poking her head into the room. The trio exchanged bewildered expressions, and quickly agreed, wondering what was going on as they headed down the stairs, the diary temporarily forgotten.
A/N:
Ahh...I love cliffies! (::giggles gleefully::) Anyway, thanks again for the reviews, and I'd love it if y'all wanted to review this chapter, let me know what you think. :) Thank you for reading!
