Disclaimer – Refer to past chapters...
Chapter 17 – The Preparations
Back in the room, Harry became an instant hero among the Gryffindors. Everyone was asking him what made him try to screw the Ministry in front of everybody.
"That was brave of you, Harry!" Seamus piped in.
"Yah, way cool." Dean said, "Showed Fudge and Umbridge who they really are."
Harry sighed. Sure, he now had become a hero with everyone except the Slytherins, but at the cost of Ginny's life. "Did I really do the right thing?" Harry thought.
"Hey look," Neville said, "Ron and Hermione are back."
Ron and Hermione walked in, carrying loads of Honeydukes chocolate, Butterbeer etc.
"Hey, where did you get this from?" Harry asked
"From Hogsmeade, idiot." Ron smirked.
"But how?" Harry said.
"With some help of this," Ron pulled out the Marauder's Map. "Mischief managed" he said, tapping the map with his wand.
"Hey, how did you know that?" Harry quizzed Ron.
"You oaf, Fred and George were the previous owners of that!" Ron said.
"Plus, they helped us get these." Hermione said. "Wanted to thank us for your speech."
"Brilliant, that was!" Ron said.
"Y-o-u t-w-o are p-r-e-f-e-c-t-s!" Harry said slowly.
"Don't sound like Hermione, man." Ron said. "Let's enjoy tonight, man!"
Harry laughed. He grabbed a Butterbeer and sank into his chair, echoed by the loud party noise of the others.
The next morning, Harry woke up late. He hurried to the Great Hall and saw his fellow Gryffindor 7th years peering over Ron's shoulder, reading a newspaper. Harry walked over and peeped at the newspaper.
MINISTRY BLASTS POTTER
Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge has publicly told Daily Prophet reporters at an interview yesterday that he felt that Harry Potter's small speech yesterday was an obvious hit at his, and the Ministry's control over this incident.
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Mr Fudge said that he was "furious at Potter's indiscriminate remarks and said he would do his best to expel him from Hogwarts."
"I am disgusted with Potter's words." Fudge said. "He could have shown more respect towards the dead and not speak rubbish. I will do my best to make sure that he is expelled from Hogwarts."
Respected members of the wizarding community have also blasted Potter's comment as "inappropriate" and "disrespectful to the dead".
The Daily Prophet would once again like to reassure readers that the Ministry is in total control of the situation and advises readers not to believe any rumours of such issues.
"Ahem." Harry faked a cough.
Everyone just stood aside as Harry went to Ron and grabbed the newspaper.
"Now, now, "Ron stammered, "Don't do anything rash..."
"Rash?" Harry said, "Stuff like that doesn't hurt me anymore." He turned and put the paper on the ground.
"Yes, you're right." A familiar voice drifted in. "Read this." A hand stretched in front of Harry gave him another newspaper.
Harry picked it up and unfolded it. "The Quibbler?"
"Yes, the Quibbler." Luna Lovegood's voice sounded again. "You will find a more accurate report in it."
Hermione grabbed it and everyone peered over her shoulder. "Hey, not bad."
"What does it say?" Parvati squealed.
"It talks about what Harry said, and also says that the Ministry is just trying to cover up. It also says that Ginny was really killed by You- Know-Who and that Cornelius Fudge should resign."
"Not bad, Luna." Harry smiled. "Who covered it?"
"Me." Luna said.
"You?" Ron almost choked on his sausage.
"Yes, me. Any problems?"
"No, not at all." Came the reply.
Quidditch season resumed after that. In the most crucial match, Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw, Harry fell sick and could not play, thus the team lost 270 to 100, forcing them into a playoff against Slytherin for the Quidditch Cup.
"Nice job, guys." Harry said to his disconsolate team after the match.
"Nah." Ron said. "We were awful, and Lavender was an awful Seeker, couldn't see the snitch 5 feet away from her. But, Dennis Creevey's not that bad a Chaser, got a few today."
At the practice a week later, Harry met his new-look team, which was missing Ginny, the previous Chaser before Dennis took over. His elder brother Colin was the other Chaser on the team. Seamus and Dean replaced the Weasley twins as Beaters.
"Ok guys," Harry started nervously, "the big match is just 5 days away. This is your first and maybe last chance to win the Quidditch Cup! Let's all put in 110% and trash the Slytherins! This Cup will also be for... Ginny."
The team became silent when they heard Ginny's name. They knew how much Harry wanted to win the Cup for Ginny.
"OK, let's start practice!" Harry said, trying to break up the deadly silence.
At the end of match, Harry was confident that his team was ten times better than Malfoy's Slytherin. Hermione was still at her prime, putting in shot after shot. Ron's confidence had been boosted significantly as he also wanted to win it for his sister. The Creevey brothers also played well, and Seamus and Dean were wacking the Bludgers with ease.
"Hey guys," Harry started. "I think we should wear Ginny's numbers for the match, in her honour."
A hushed silence fell over the team. After a long while, Ron stood up and said," We'll do it, Harry."
Harry smiled. He knew that somewhere up there, Ginny would be happy with them...
What will happen? Who will win? Find out in the next chapter! Don't forget to R&R!
Chapter 17 – The Preparations
Back in the room, Harry became an instant hero among the Gryffindors. Everyone was asking him what made him try to screw the Ministry in front of everybody.
"That was brave of you, Harry!" Seamus piped in.
"Yah, way cool." Dean said, "Showed Fudge and Umbridge who they really are."
Harry sighed. Sure, he now had become a hero with everyone except the Slytherins, but at the cost of Ginny's life. "Did I really do the right thing?" Harry thought.
"Hey look," Neville said, "Ron and Hermione are back."
Ron and Hermione walked in, carrying loads of Honeydukes chocolate, Butterbeer etc.
"Hey, where did you get this from?" Harry asked
"From Hogsmeade, idiot." Ron smirked.
"But how?" Harry said.
"With some help of this," Ron pulled out the Marauder's Map. "Mischief managed" he said, tapping the map with his wand.
"Hey, how did you know that?" Harry quizzed Ron.
"You oaf, Fred and George were the previous owners of that!" Ron said.
"Plus, they helped us get these." Hermione said. "Wanted to thank us for your speech."
"Brilliant, that was!" Ron said.
"Y-o-u t-w-o are p-r-e-f-e-c-t-s!" Harry said slowly.
"Don't sound like Hermione, man." Ron said. "Let's enjoy tonight, man!"
Harry laughed. He grabbed a Butterbeer and sank into his chair, echoed by the loud party noise of the others.
The next morning, Harry woke up late. He hurried to the Great Hall and saw his fellow Gryffindor 7th years peering over Ron's shoulder, reading a newspaper. Harry walked over and peeped at the newspaper.
MINISTRY BLASTS POTTER
Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge has publicly told Daily Prophet reporters at an interview yesterday that he felt that Harry Potter's small speech yesterday was an obvious hit at his, and the Ministry's control over this incident.
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Mr Fudge said that he was "furious at Potter's indiscriminate remarks and said he would do his best to expel him from Hogwarts."
"I am disgusted with Potter's words." Fudge said. "He could have shown more respect towards the dead and not speak rubbish. I will do my best to make sure that he is expelled from Hogwarts."
Respected members of the wizarding community have also blasted Potter's comment as "inappropriate" and "disrespectful to the dead".
The Daily Prophet would once again like to reassure readers that the Ministry is in total control of the situation and advises readers not to believe any rumours of such issues.
"Ahem." Harry faked a cough.
Everyone just stood aside as Harry went to Ron and grabbed the newspaper.
"Now, now, "Ron stammered, "Don't do anything rash..."
"Rash?" Harry said, "Stuff like that doesn't hurt me anymore." He turned and put the paper on the ground.
"Yes, you're right." A familiar voice drifted in. "Read this." A hand stretched in front of Harry gave him another newspaper.
Harry picked it up and unfolded it. "The Quibbler?"
"Yes, the Quibbler." Luna Lovegood's voice sounded again. "You will find a more accurate report in it."
Hermione grabbed it and everyone peered over her shoulder. "Hey, not bad."
"What does it say?" Parvati squealed.
"It talks about what Harry said, and also says that the Ministry is just trying to cover up. It also says that Ginny was really killed by You- Know-Who and that Cornelius Fudge should resign."
"Not bad, Luna." Harry smiled. "Who covered it?"
"Me." Luna said.
"You?" Ron almost choked on his sausage.
"Yes, me. Any problems?"
"No, not at all." Came the reply.
Quidditch season resumed after that. In the most crucial match, Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw, Harry fell sick and could not play, thus the team lost 270 to 100, forcing them into a playoff against Slytherin for the Quidditch Cup.
"Nice job, guys." Harry said to his disconsolate team after the match.
"Nah." Ron said. "We were awful, and Lavender was an awful Seeker, couldn't see the snitch 5 feet away from her. But, Dennis Creevey's not that bad a Chaser, got a few today."
At the practice a week later, Harry met his new-look team, which was missing Ginny, the previous Chaser before Dennis took over. His elder brother Colin was the other Chaser on the team. Seamus and Dean replaced the Weasley twins as Beaters.
"Ok guys," Harry started nervously, "the big match is just 5 days away. This is your first and maybe last chance to win the Quidditch Cup! Let's all put in 110% and trash the Slytherins! This Cup will also be for... Ginny."
The team became silent when they heard Ginny's name. They knew how much Harry wanted to win the Cup for Ginny.
"OK, let's start practice!" Harry said, trying to break up the deadly silence.
At the end of match, Harry was confident that his team was ten times better than Malfoy's Slytherin. Hermione was still at her prime, putting in shot after shot. Ron's confidence had been boosted significantly as he also wanted to win it for his sister. The Creevey brothers also played well, and Seamus and Dean were wacking the Bludgers with ease.
"Hey guys," Harry started. "I think we should wear Ginny's numbers for the match, in her honour."
A hushed silence fell over the team. After a long while, Ron stood up and said," We'll do it, Harry."
Harry smiled. He knew that somewhere up there, Ginny would be happy with them...
What will happen? Who will win? Find out in the next chapter! Don't forget to R&R!