Hello again, all! Quick disclaimer—not mine—but you all knew that, anyway. This will probably not be updated again until HP and the HBP comes out—after it has come out, and I have read it. That is, unless I am quick and hyper and feel the urge to do so. I'm sure not many of you will be online when that happens, anyway.

No one has guessed anything about Melpomene Astramorde. I guess I get the ten simulated cookies...

Strictly Wondering

Harry lagged behind after the rest of the club had left, waiting to get his chance to talk to Ginny. The need had somehow grown more urgent... he wanted to know...

He saw her, talking to Dean and Seamus. She was laughing, and Dean was playing with her hand. Seamus turned to say something to Lavender and Parvati, who kept glancing sadly at Ginny's hand, entwined with Dean's. They were so caught up in conversation, they didn't notice him standing, watching...

Until, that is, Ginny turned toward Harry. She started, and he flushed a little, then he furrowed his eyebrows at her. She understood immediately.

A slight shake of the head.

He felt the urge to talk to her grow. He was rooted to the spot, never to move until she was in front of him, ready to--

"Coming, Harry?"

"Just a minute, Ron, I want to ask Professor Astramorde a question," he said distractedly.

"We have class Monday, you can ask her then," Ron said.

"Just go on back, I'll be there in a sec," Harry said.

"Come on," Hermione said, entering the conversation then. "We ought to get back. You still have a paper to write for Charms."

"I thought I'd copy yours."

"Ron! I worked hard on mine! You need to do your own work."

"Ah, I--"

"No more excuses. Coming, Harry?"

"No," Harry said, stifling a grin, "I've got to ask Professor--"

"You know Harry," Hermione said, "I'm very impressed. You're really taking your schoolwork seriously. Unlike this one..."

"Hermione, don't be a--"

"Come on," she said, dragging him by the arm from the room. Harry chuckled to himself, watching them go.

"Hey."

Ginny was beside him.

"Hi."

"Were you waiting for me?"

"Yes—about the sparks."

"None. I don't know, Harry, did we imagine them?"

He thought back. "We'd both have to have. Joint hallucinations, and all that."

"It seems so impossible, now."

"I know. But I don't think it is."

"Maybe we should ask Astramorde. Do you think?"

"Yes ...only, let's not use our names..."

"Good plan."

"Where'd Dean and the others go?" Harry asked suddenly, realizing they were alone.

"I told him I had a question for Astramorde, and I couldn't wait to ask it. Where're Hermione and Ron?"

"I...erm...told them the same."

They grinned ashamedly at each other.

"So you have questions?" a voice washed over them from behind. They turned to face Astramorde.

"Erm...yes. Well. We do," Harry stammered.

"And these questions are...?" she grinned.

"Well...Professor..."

"We were wondering why you started up the club?" Ginny said suddenly. Harry turned to look at her curiously.

Astramorde did not look as though she believed that was their question, and when Harry thought about it, she had good reason. Why else would he desert his friends, and she her boyfriend, so they could hang about the emptying Great Hall to ask an unimportant question about the start of the club?

"Well, it's an important part of being prepared to know how to duel, isn't it?"

"None of the other teachers seemed to care that much."

"You had Umbridge and Lockheart for teachers. I'm not surprised."

"But we had Professor Lupin, and he was very good."

"Yes...but I'm sure he had more on his mind besides this." She pursed her lips. "I wonder how Remus is doing?"

"You know him?"

"Yes."

"How?"

Astamorde smiled. "I don't see how that is your business. However, he used to date my sister."

"Your sister? Was she in his class at school?" Harry asked.

Astramorde glanced at him, and her gaze shot through him. "She was not in your father's class, Harry."

"Oh—I—I just thought--"

"I know what you thought. Thalia was a year below them; I was three below her."

"What's she doing now?" Ginny asked.

Astramorde's smile trembled a bit. "She died sixteen years ago."

"Oh," Ginny said in a small voice.

"And now, if your questions are done," Astramorde continued, "I think you two ought to get back to your common rooms. Filch waits for no one."

"Yes Professor," Ginny said, and Harry followed her out of the room.

"Why did you ask her that?"

"I thought...well...what if she thinks we're going crazy or something?"

"We can't be. I feel fine, don't you?"

"Yes, but...I don't know. It didn't seem right."

He had to agree with that. They hurried down the hall to the Griffyndor common room.

"I missed it," she murmured.

"What?"

"I missed the sparks. I wanted them there. I don't know why...I know it sounds odd...I just..."

"I did too," he said.

"This is really strange, Harry."

"We have the weekend," Harry replied. "Do you have any homework?"

"Yes, Dean and I were going to work on it together," she said quickly.

"Can you get away from him? Just for a bit."

"Yes, I'll tell him—I don't know what, but I will. What are we going to do?"

"We'll look up and see if this is normal. Hermione would've thought of it awhile ago. What's her solution for everything?"

"Hopefully, we'll find something. I'll meet you there after breakfast, how's that?"

"Good. Maybe we'll know what's going on before Quidditch practice."

"Maybe."

And then they continued on till they were back in Gryffindor.

"Where were you two?" Ron asked, as they entered. "Harry, come on, if I have to suffer, you do to. You must have some homework somewhere."

"Yes, Harry, come get a head start on your work," Hermione said enthusiastically.

"Goodnight, Harry," Ginny murmured, and then she was gone. Harry sighed, pulled out his homework, and joined Ron and Hermione at the table.

"Where's Dean?" Hermione asked thoughtfully, staring at the girls' staircase Ginny had vanished on.

Harry shrugged.

"You're not...never mind," Hermione said.

"Yes, never mind," Harry said.

"What?" Ron asked.

Hermione sighed.

The next day, Harry scarfed down his breakfast and ran to the library. He sat down at one of the tables, pulling some of his books out of his bag and setting them up on the table. Within a few minutes, Ginny entered. She glanced about, then hurried toward them.

"I told Dean I was meeting you to talk about Quidditch strategy," she said. She placed a copy of "Quidditch Throughout the Ages" on the table. "Just so you know."

"Okay," he whispered back, moving his books aside. "Where should we start looking?"

"I asked Madam Pince about Dueling Clubs, and dueling with wands. She gave me a list of books..."

Harry took the list and stared at it. "Well, let's get started."

The morning passed quickly, but they found nothing on sparks. Harry was just about to suggest they get ready for Quidditch when Ginny said, "I wonder if Professor Lupin remembers Professor Astramorde."

"Probably. I'm sure if he dated her sister..."

"But I wonder if she remembers her. You can date someone without knowing the family well."

"You know this from experience...?" Harry asked teasingly.

"Oh, it's just common sense," she said irritably. "Honestly, Harry. I mean...maybe..."

"He might like to hear how she's doing."

"Yes, I thought so, too. I thought perhaps he'd like to hear about her sister, too...but obviously not."

"Yes."

"I wonder if she's married."

Harry stared at her. "You're not doing one of those match-making thingys, are you? Because I don't want to be a pawn in some game of romance...especially with Remus."

"I'm just curious," she announced. "You'd best write Remus a letter."

"Why don't you?"

"He'd expect it from you. Anyway, we'd better go get ready for practice."

They checked out some of the more promising books, and agreed to meet again Sunday night, before classes, to see if either had found anything.

After Quidditch practice, Dean came and retrieved Ginny, to take her to supper. He stared curiously at Harry, who waved at them friendly enough. Ginny waved back and, laughing, followed Dean inside.

After supper, Harry dodged Ron and Hermione, who were busy fighting over something or other again, and ran to his room. He grabbed one of the books, some parchment, and a quill, and left for the owl tower. There, he scribbled a quick note to Remus, telling him about Professor Astramorde, asking (with a slight grimace) if Remus remembered her (mentioning her sister's name), and was about to send it off when he remembered that Remus could probably help him.

"I'm really going balmy," he said to a nearby haystack. But he quickly described dueling club, and asked if Remus had ever gone to one. If so, what had it been like?

After he sent it off with Hedwig, who had left with an affectionate nip on his ear, he stayed a few more hours, pouring over the books.

It was late before he got back. And he still hadn't found out anything.

He spent Sunday pouring over the rest of the books, and finishing up his homework. Still, nothing. He hoped Ginny had found something, but he didn't think she would have. When he met with her, he knew he had been right.

"Nothing," she told him when he came in sight. They met in front of the fire in the common room.

"Same with me. I asked Remus about it, sort of."

"Oh, you wrote to him?"

"Yeah. I don't know when he'll reply."

"Hopefully, soon," she sighed.

"Well...until then..."

"I'll partner up with you next time, for a bit, and we'll see if it happens again," Ginny offered.

"Okay."

And they both looked away, afraid to see the hope in each other's eyes.

Well, I hope that you enjoyed the latest chapter. For those of you who are hoping to find out what the sparks are, you'll have to wait a bit more. I'm sure Harry and Ginny are just as curious as you—more so, since it is happening to them—as to what they mean.

Until we meet again—until after HP #6 (unless I get hit with some inspiration before then), enjoy!