Disclaimer: I don't own any rights to Harry Potter or any characters or places in this story, they belong to JK Rowling. I am making no money from this story.
Chapter 9 O.W.L.s and Hippogriffs
August was passing quickly by. Grimmauld Place was filled with the usual comings and goings of the Order. Life there had become routine as the students had regular chores and had taken to a bit of extra studying in the library. Luckily there had been very little seen or heard from Kreacher. Harry still felt a great deal of anger at how the elf had betrayed Sirius in June. Of course Harry, as the house elf's new master had ordered him to continue to stay in a room on the third floor and not do anything without permission.
Aside from the limited information they received from the Order meetings, the three friends were left with little to think about. This changed in the second week of the month however, as O.W.L. results arrived in the post. Harry was savoring the lingering remnants of a well-earned sleep when the door to his room was thrown wide by a squealing Hermione. Harry covered his face with a pillow to shield it from the light stealing in through the open door. He had suffered through another night of terrible nightmares, having slept uneasily for only a couple of hours. Ron's groaning gave a voice to exactly how Harry felt. "Come on Hermione there are people trying to sleep in here. Besides what if we weren't decent when you came storming in?" he said groggily.
"Oh like that would bother you." she retorted to a bright faced Ron.
Finally Harry sat up and turned his weary eyes towards his friends "You know what Hermione, maybe I'll start sleeping starkers, then we'll see just who's bothered." he said with a smirk to a now equally red faced Hermione. "Anyway what's the big deal, I was finally getting some rest before you barged in, I hope it's important."
"Oh sorry about that Harry, but it is important. The O.W.L. results just came and Mrs. Weasley told me to come get you both up." she said cheerfully.
"Sure, your sorry for waking Harry up, but what am I, chopped liver?" Ron said with mock indignation.
Hermione turned to Ron with a shocked expression on her face, "I am so sorry to have offended you my lord," she said with a curtsy, "however can I make it up to you, Ronniekins?" She ducked with another squeal as Ron flung his pillow at her and laughed running from the room. "Hurry up and get down here, I can't wait much longer." Hermione called over her shoulder as she disappeared out the door.
A few minutes later Harry and Ron were dressed and entered the kitchen. It was around 8:30 in the morning and breakfast was waiting on the table for them. Upon sitting down Mrs. Weasley thrust their envelopes into each of their hands, while Hermione stared at them expectantly. Deciding they wouldn't be able to eat in peace until they opened their letters they tore open the envelopes. Harry read quickly through the first sheet:
"Dear Mr. Potter,
Enclosed you will find the results of your O.W.L. examinations, as well as a list with which to select the courses in which you would like to enlist for the Newt level courses. Please complete the form and return it to me as soon as possible. I apologize for the delayed return of these results, however due to recent events the Ministry of Magic has been quite occupied
Also included is the list of supplies for the year. Please purchase the books necessary for the courses you have selected, as well as any supplies specific to those courses. Students in fourth year and above will be allowed to attend a holiday ball this year. Those students who plan on attending will need dress robes for the occasion. Please note that the school year will begin on September 1st. You are required to board the Hogwarts Express at eleven o'clock at the Kings Cross station, platform nine and three-quarters.
Yours Sincerely
Minerva McGonagall
Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress
Harry flipped to the next page but before he could read it Ron snatched it from his hand. Apparently he was finished reading his own and had grown more impatient than Hermione. "Well let's see how our boy did." he said smirking at Hermione as he leaned over next to her to share their friends scores. She giggled lightly and rolled her eyes at him, but read Harry's results just the same.
"Wow Harry, you did really good." Hermione said beaming at him.
"Yeah mate, better than me anyway. Although you probably could have done better in Divination, you should have studied more." admonished Ron jokingly.
"Yeah, well, even you could have predicted that we would fail that one." Harry chortled. Ron's face turned the usual crimson at the retort. "Anyway, what were the rest of my scores," he continued emphasizing the last words, "Seeing as you won't allow me to read them for myself."
Hermione cleared her throat and began ticking the scores off the list, "Charms; Theory O, Practical O, Transfiguration; Theory E, Practical O, Herbology; Theory O, Practical O, Defense Against the Dark Arts; Theory O, Practical O+, Potions; Theory O, Practical O, Care of Magical Creatures; Theory O, Practical O, Astronomy; Theory E, Practical A, Divination; Theory A, Practical P, History of Magic; Theory P. For a grand total of 7 O.W.L.s. I got 11 myself."
"Well how did you do Ron?" Harry asked as his best friend had become suddenly quiet.
"I, umm, you see-" Ron began to splutter, but Hermione finished for him, "He did nearly as well as you did, 8 O.W.L.s, but not nearly as many out standings, and he only received an acceptable in Potions so he won't be allowed to take Newt Level." Ron looked at the floor slightly abashed by the brutal appraisal of his performance.
"Still that's really good Ron." Harry added in defense of his friend. "Actually you got more O.W.L.s than I did." Hermione took the point and nodded in agreement while she smiled at Ron.
With that Ron picked up his head with a bit of pride, "Yeah, I guess I did. Anyway, we better get our course lists filled out and return them now. I wonder if we are going to be allowed to go to Diagon Alley to get our supplies or not."
"Actually Professor Dumbledore thought it best if I go for you. He said it would be best to act with a little caution." Mrs. Weasley put in. "Fill out your lists, and leave them here on the table and I'll get your things this afternoon." she finished disappearing into the hallway.
After breakfast they all completed the forms to select the courses they wanted, and left a list of the school supplies they would need for the year on the table. Then Harry decided that it would be a good time to feed Buckbeak, the hippogriff. He had taken to the chore, left in his Godfathers absence, as it allowed him a bit of time to himself when he needed it, and the creature was a gentle reminder of Sirius. Ron and Hermione decided to spend a little time in the library, Hermione had said she needed to begin studying for her lesson this year.
So Harry made his way up to the attic where the hippogriff lived, carrying a bag of dead rats along with him. When he entered the room he set the bag down and bowed to buckbeak, while keeping eye contact, forcing himself not to blink. Buckbeak immediately dropped a knee to him, as Harry had been a regular visitor, the creature already trusted him, but Harry continued with the proprieties. Seeing Buckbeak's consent Harry reached over and began to pet the back of his head. "How are you feeling today?" he greeted the creature.
An hour or so passed with Harry feeding the rats to Buckbeak. Being alone here gave him the time he needed to think. Although he was sure that his friends knew he had taken to brooding in solitude, by now Harry had become almost dependent on this time of uninterrupted reflection. He was able to sort through his memories with a sort of forced detachment. He could control his emotions, but only with a great show of will. Today was hardly an exception. Slowly his mind worked its way to the events of the previous year. Once again his finger was found to be tracing the scar on his forehead. Unexpectedly, the door to the attic opened and Ginny came quietly into the room. "Hey Gin, what's going on?" Harry said figuring that she had been sent to tell him something.
"Oh, Harry it's you. Sorry I didn't know anyone was up here. I'll just go." She said and began turning for the door. Harry had noticed however that she seemed to be on the verge of tears.
"Wait, Ginny are you alright?" he asked in a tone of gentle concern.
Turning back toward him she smiled briefly, almost shyly. "I- I was looking to be alone for a bit. I'm alright though, thanks." she said in a small voice.
Harry wasn't sure what to do, she was obviously upset about something. "Now when have you ever believed that when I said it? You are not alright, and it appears that you are a bad liar besides." Harry said to try to get her to smile a little, which he did. He knew full well that she was a good liar when she wanted to be, remembering several occasions where she had duped Mrs. Weasley into overlooking mischief that would usually have drawn a verbal lashing. "Look, I understand if you don't want to talk about it, but that doesn't mean that you have to be alone. You know with all the times people have tried to force me to talk about things, I just can't bring myself to do it to anyone else. So we can talk about anything else if you want, or just sit here quietly. It won't bother me at all if that's what you were thinking." Harry finished with a fixed sparkle in his eyes.
Ginny stifled a sob and moved over near Harry and sat down. "I don't really want to talk about it, but I suppose I could use the company." she said weakly as a tear escaped from where it was tremulously perched a moment before. "Thank you Harry."
"Hey after all you've done for me, this is the least I can do. I am at your service." he finished with a mock bow, to which they both grinned. "Honestly though, if you decide later that you do want to talk about it, I'll listen." She simply nodded, and they spent the next few hours in relative silence, each contemplating the troubles of their friend. Surprisingly, Harry found that it was exactly what he needed. Sitting there wondering what was troubling Ginny took his mind off of his own sorrows.
It was somewhere around four-thirty in the afternoon when they heard a commotion coming from downstairs and decided to investigate. Emerging from their seclusion they ran down to the kitchen to find several members of the Order panting heavily, and Ron and Hermione staring quizzically at the group.
Author's Note: Okay, sorry if that Harry and Ginny bit seemed cheesy, but I wanted to have some justification instead of just slapping them together as a couple. Anyway, I hope to make up for the lack of action in the next chapter or two. Stay tuned.
Jeremy
Chapter 9 O.W.L.s and Hippogriffs
August was passing quickly by. Grimmauld Place was filled with the usual comings and goings of the Order. Life there had become routine as the students had regular chores and had taken to a bit of extra studying in the library. Luckily there had been very little seen or heard from Kreacher. Harry still felt a great deal of anger at how the elf had betrayed Sirius in June. Of course Harry, as the house elf's new master had ordered him to continue to stay in a room on the third floor and not do anything without permission.
Aside from the limited information they received from the Order meetings, the three friends were left with little to think about. This changed in the second week of the month however, as O.W.L. results arrived in the post. Harry was savoring the lingering remnants of a well-earned sleep when the door to his room was thrown wide by a squealing Hermione. Harry covered his face with a pillow to shield it from the light stealing in through the open door. He had suffered through another night of terrible nightmares, having slept uneasily for only a couple of hours. Ron's groaning gave a voice to exactly how Harry felt. "Come on Hermione there are people trying to sleep in here. Besides what if we weren't decent when you came storming in?" he said groggily.
"Oh like that would bother you." she retorted to a bright faced Ron.
Finally Harry sat up and turned his weary eyes towards his friends "You know what Hermione, maybe I'll start sleeping starkers, then we'll see just who's bothered." he said with a smirk to a now equally red faced Hermione. "Anyway what's the big deal, I was finally getting some rest before you barged in, I hope it's important."
"Oh sorry about that Harry, but it is important. The O.W.L. results just came and Mrs. Weasley told me to come get you both up." she said cheerfully.
"Sure, your sorry for waking Harry up, but what am I, chopped liver?" Ron said with mock indignation.
Hermione turned to Ron with a shocked expression on her face, "I am so sorry to have offended you my lord," she said with a curtsy, "however can I make it up to you, Ronniekins?" She ducked with another squeal as Ron flung his pillow at her and laughed running from the room. "Hurry up and get down here, I can't wait much longer." Hermione called over her shoulder as she disappeared out the door.
A few minutes later Harry and Ron were dressed and entered the kitchen. It was around 8:30 in the morning and breakfast was waiting on the table for them. Upon sitting down Mrs. Weasley thrust their envelopes into each of their hands, while Hermione stared at them expectantly. Deciding they wouldn't be able to eat in peace until they opened their letters they tore open the envelopes. Harry read quickly through the first sheet:
"Dear Mr. Potter,
Enclosed you will find the results of your O.W.L. examinations, as well as a list with which to select the courses in which you would like to enlist for the Newt level courses. Please complete the form and return it to me as soon as possible. I apologize for the delayed return of these results, however due to recent events the Ministry of Magic has been quite occupied
Also included is the list of supplies for the year. Please purchase the books necessary for the courses you have selected, as well as any supplies specific to those courses. Students in fourth year and above will be allowed to attend a holiday ball this year. Those students who plan on attending will need dress robes for the occasion. Please note that the school year will begin on September 1st. You are required to board the Hogwarts Express at eleven o'clock at the Kings Cross station, platform nine and three-quarters.
Yours Sincerely
Minerva McGonagall
Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress
Harry flipped to the next page but before he could read it Ron snatched it from his hand. Apparently he was finished reading his own and had grown more impatient than Hermione. "Well let's see how our boy did." he said smirking at Hermione as he leaned over next to her to share their friends scores. She giggled lightly and rolled her eyes at him, but read Harry's results just the same.
"Wow Harry, you did really good." Hermione said beaming at him.
"Yeah mate, better than me anyway. Although you probably could have done better in Divination, you should have studied more." admonished Ron jokingly.
"Yeah, well, even you could have predicted that we would fail that one." Harry chortled. Ron's face turned the usual crimson at the retort. "Anyway, what were the rest of my scores," he continued emphasizing the last words, "Seeing as you won't allow me to read them for myself."
Hermione cleared her throat and began ticking the scores off the list, "Charms; Theory O, Practical O, Transfiguration; Theory E, Practical O, Herbology; Theory O, Practical O, Defense Against the Dark Arts; Theory O, Practical O+, Potions; Theory O, Practical O, Care of Magical Creatures; Theory O, Practical O, Astronomy; Theory E, Practical A, Divination; Theory A, Practical P, History of Magic; Theory P. For a grand total of 7 O.W.L.s. I got 11 myself."
"Well how did you do Ron?" Harry asked as his best friend had become suddenly quiet.
"I, umm, you see-" Ron began to splutter, but Hermione finished for him, "He did nearly as well as you did, 8 O.W.L.s, but not nearly as many out standings, and he only received an acceptable in Potions so he won't be allowed to take Newt Level." Ron looked at the floor slightly abashed by the brutal appraisal of his performance.
"Still that's really good Ron." Harry added in defense of his friend. "Actually you got more O.W.L.s than I did." Hermione took the point and nodded in agreement while she smiled at Ron.
With that Ron picked up his head with a bit of pride, "Yeah, I guess I did. Anyway, we better get our course lists filled out and return them now. I wonder if we are going to be allowed to go to Diagon Alley to get our supplies or not."
"Actually Professor Dumbledore thought it best if I go for you. He said it would be best to act with a little caution." Mrs. Weasley put in. "Fill out your lists, and leave them here on the table and I'll get your things this afternoon." she finished disappearing into the hallway.
After breakfast they all completed the forms to select the courses they wanted, and left a list of the school supplies they would need for the year on the table. Then Harry decided that it would be a good time to feed Buckbeak, the hippogriff. He had taken to the chore, left in his Godfathers absence, as it allowed him a bit of time to himself when he needed it, and the creature was a gentle reminder of Sirius. Ron and Hermione decided to spend a little time in the library, Hermione had said she needed to begin studying for her lesson this year.
So Harry made his way up to the attic where the hippogriff lived, carrying a bag of dead rats along with him. When he entered the room he set the bag down and bowed to buckbeak, while keeping eye contact, forcing himself not to blink. Buckbeak immediately dropped a knee to him, as Harry had been a regular visitor, the creature already trusted him, but Harry continued with the proprieties. Seeing Buckbeak's consent Harry reached over and began to pet the back of his head. "How are you feeling today?" he greeted the creature.
An hour or so passed with Harry feeding the rats to Buckbeak. Being alone here gave him the time he needed to think. Although he was sure that his friends knew he had taken to brooding in solitude, by now Harry had become almost dependent on this time of uninterrupted reflection. He was able to sort through his memories with a sort of forced detachment. He could control his emotions, but only with a great show of will. Today was hardly an exception. Slowly his mind worked its way to the events of the previous year. Once again his finger was found to be tracing the scar on his forehead. Unexpectedly, the door to the attic opened and Ginny came quietly into the room. "Hey Gin, what's going on?" Harry said figuring that she had been sent to tell him something.
"Oh, Harry it's you. Sorry I didn't know anyone was up here. I'll just go." She said and began turning for the door. Harry had noticed however that she seemed to be on the verge of tears.
"Wait, Ginny are you alright?" he asked in a tone of gentle concern.
Turning back toward him she smiled briefly, almost shyly. "I- I was looking to be alone for a bit. I'm alright though, thanks." she said in a small voice.
Harry wasn't sure what to do, she was obviously upset about something. "Now when have you ever believed that when I said it? You are not alright, and it appears that you are a bad liar besides." Harry said to try to get her to smile a little, which he did. He knew full well that she was a good liar when she wanted to be, remembering several occasions where she had duped Mrs. Weasley into overlooking mischief that would usually have drawn a verbal lashing. "Look, I understand if you don't want to talk about it, but that doesn't mean that you have to be alone. You know with all the times people have tried to force me to talk about things, I just can't bring myself to do it to anyone else. So we can talk about anything else if you want, or just sit here quietly. It won't bother me at all if that's what you were thinking." Harry finished with a fixed sparkle in his eyes.
Ginny stifled a sob and moved over near Harry and sat down. "I don't really want to talk about it, but I suppose I could use the company." she said weakly as a tear escaped from where it was tremulously perched a moment before. "Thank you Harry."
"Hey after all you've done for me, this is the least I can do. I am at your service." he finished with a mock bow, to which they both grinned. "Honestly though, if you decide later that you do want to talk about it, I'll listen." She simply nodded, and they spent the next few hours in relative silence, each contemplating the troubles of their friend. Surprisingly, Harry found that it was exactly what he needed. Sitting there wondering what was troubling Ginny took his mind off of his own sorrows.
It was somewhere around four-thirty in the afternoon when they heard a commotion coming from downstairs and decided to investigate. Emerging from their seclusion they ran down to the kitchen to find several members of the Order panting heavily, and Ron and Hermione staring quizzically at the group.
Author's Note: Okay, sorry if that Harry and Ginny bit seemed cheesy, but I wanted to have some justification instead of just slapping them together as a couple. Anyway, I hope to make up for the lack of action in the next chapter or two. Stay tuned.
Jeremy
