AUTHOR'S NOTE: Here it is… Chapter 3!! A lot happens in this chapter. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as zoe liked writing it! Remember to review!
Jess
Chapter 3: Overhearing
Ron was partly right. Fred and George wouldn't talk to and seemed to be avoiding Harry for the next three days. But it was easier for Harry to forget the events of the day when Hermione arrived the night of the argument.
She had great stories about her trip to Bonaire and she stayed up late into the night telling Harry, Ron and Ginny about the vacation. Ron found it highly amusing when she told them about this one clerk at the hotel, who cleaned the pool. Apparently all the teenage girls in the hotel would pick just the times of his shift to go shun bathe on the terrace. Hermione giggled when she told them his name. "Jordan, such a great name." She sighed and continued to tell them about the snorkeling and scuba diving.
Fred and George had forgiven Harry and all the things Mrs. Weasley had said after the third day of Hermione's stay and joined the quartet in late night stories. They talked about all the new things they had invented for their joke shop and how they had hired several new employees to run it ("they aren't as good as we are at selling things but we like to have some free time.")
By the time their school letters came the next week they had had almost run out of adventures to talk about but their O.W.L. scores (Ordinary Wizarding Levels) gave them new things to consider. On an early Monday morning during breakfast Errol, a large gray owl, flew through the open kitchen window while the Weasleys, Harry and Hermione were eating breakfast. He collapsed on the kitchen table and slid its whole length before coming to a standstill in front of Ginny who gave a cry of excitement. "Look! Our school letters are here!" When she said this Hermione gave forth a loud shriek and jumped up to grab hers.
"Harry, Ron," she almost shouted, "Our O.W.L. scores!" Jumping forward as well, Harry and Ron grabbed their letters and began shredding the envelopes while Hermione stared at her open mouthed at her sheet of results.
"What," said Ron, "Did you average exceeding expectations? That's my dream."
Hermione, now smiling replied, "I passed everything!" She obviously couldn't contain her excitement. She grabbed Ginny by the hands began dancing around in circles with her, both of them now laughing.
Grinning to himself, Harry looked down at his own scores. The paper was as follows:
O.W.L. Test Results
Name; Potter, Harry J.House: Gryffindor
Possible Passing scores: O- Outstanding, E- Exceeding Expectations, A-Acceptable.
Possible Failing scores: P- Poor, D- Dreadful, T- Troll
Charms Theory: A
Charms Practical: E
Owl: Yes
Transfiguration Theory: O
Transfiguration Practical: E
Owl: Yes
Herbology Theory: A
Herbology Practical: E
Owl: Yes
Defense Against the Dark Arts Theory: O
Defense Against the Dark Arts Practical: O H
Owl: Honors
Potions Theory: O
Potions Practical: E
Owl: Yes
Divination Theory: P
Divination Practical: D
Owl: No
Care of Magical Creatures Theory: O H
Care of Magical Creatures Practical: O H
Owl: High Honors
Astronomy Theory: A
Astronomy Practical: A
Owl: Yes
History of Magic (Theory Only): P
Owl: No
Dear Mr. H. Potter,
Hogwarts is pleased to inform you that you have passed seven O.W.L. tests. You will be taking the following classes in your 6th year at Hogwarts; Astronomy, Herbology, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Charms, Care of Magical Creatures and Potions. The staff congratulates you on your academic achievement and hope you enjoy the rest of your summer holiday!
Yours Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
Albus Dumbledore
Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Harry stared at his paper, finding his test scores hard to believe. He was surprised; he had passed everything he needed to become an Auror!
"Bloody hell." George said, reading over his shoulder. "You better watch it Harry, you've almost reached nerd level."
"Mind your tongue, George." Mrs. Weasley looked displeased. "What how did you score, Harry dear?" Harry let out his breath slowly.
"Well, I passed everything I needed to pass to become an Auror! Even Potions."
Hermione and Ginny stopped their dancing and raced over to Harry. Hermione threw her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "That's really good Harry!" She said after she let go of him, both of them now slightly pink. "That means we're in almost all of the same classes!" Grinning ecstatically, she turned to Ron. "What did you get?"
Ron looked up from his paper, having been silent for the past few minutes.
"I've gotten six O.W.L.s," he said, smiling weakly.
Her grin even bigger than before, Hermione left Harry to hug Ron. Harry clapped his friend on the back.
"Well done mate." He smiled enthusiastically but moved away as Mrs. Weasley raced over to almost decapitate Ron in a bear hug.
"Oh Ronnie! I'm so proud!" Tears were streaming down her face. It looked very odd to see Mrs. Weasley, who was quite short, standing next to her son, who had recently passed the six-foot mark on the wall at the Weasleys home in St. Catchpole. After Mrs. Wealsey was done squeezing her youngest son she turned to the twins who had each only gotten three O.W.L.s each. "See, these are model students." Then she buried her head in Ron's shoulder again till he forced her off, saying that his life was under threat.
As Mrs. Weasley withdrew herself from her son, Harry added to the room that he had made quiddtich captain, which brought more smiles from everyone and another squeak and hug from Hermione.
They all went back to breakfast, Ginny and Hermione chattering nonstop about the upcoming trip to Diagon Alley, when they would get their books and things for school. Harry was concentrating on his food, still trying to figure out how Snape had somehow left behind all the arguments he'd ever had with Harry's father and handed his least favorite student an 'O' on the potions theory exam. Then something that Mrs. Weasley said brought his attention back to the kitchen.
"Hermione dear, you'll need to get some more of that medication you take when we go to Diagon Alley, won't you?"
Silence enveloped the room as all the conversations halted abruptly. Harry looked up from his toast and bacon, laying down his fork next to his plate and focusing his eyes on Hermione.
"You take medicine? Why?" Ron asked with his mouth full.
"Swallow, Ron." Mrs. Weasley spoke, looking disgruntled.
"I was going to ask why, too." Harry announced, rubbing his aching head as Ron followed his mother's orders. "Are you sick?"
"I-I" Hermione looked down at her plate. "It's no big deal."
"That horrible death eater, whoever knocked her out last June, he's given her a pretty serious form of asthma." Mrs. Weasley dabbed her lips with a napkin and continued talking. "And 'Mione, sweetheart, don't say it isn't a big deal, you almost died!"
Hermione looked down at her hands, which she had folded in her lap.
"Asthma?" Ron looked confused. "You have to take a medicine?"
"She drinks a potion every morning," Mrs. Weasley said. "That's another reason children shouldn't get involved with the Order. It's a hard business. One well aimed spell and your life will never be the same again."
Hermione looked near tears at this. Harry caught Ron's eye and looked down at his plate. He knew very well that if it hadn't been for his doubts about Sirius, Hermione wouldn't have to take medicine.
The group ate quietly for several minutes, till Ron and the twins finally decided that they were done eating. They began the dishes and the rest of the family quickly followed suite, Harry pushing the last of his bacon into the trash, not feeling hungry anymore.
The attention was brought back to Ron when George asked to see his O.W.L. scores. The twins seemed highly impressed with Ron's six passing grades.
"Wow," Fred commented, "You even did good in Astonomy! We both got 'Dreadful' in that one, didn't we George?"
"I didn't pass potions though." Ron broke the group's enthusiasm grumpily. "That means I can't become an Auror. McGonagall made it really clear that you needed a good Potions score to even be considered for the job." This statement was met with several moments of silence as everyone soaked up the words. Mrs. Weasley, though looking a little downtrodden, tried to cheer her son up.
"Balderdash!" She said, "You can become an Auror without Potions. I bet lots of people have!" Seeing this didn't cheer Ron up much she tried to change the subject. "We have to celebrate! Tonight we'll have a party with lots of food, and we'll decorate! Now go upstairs, so I can get started." With this Mrs. Weasley hustled the three 6th years out of the room, telling them not to come back until she called.
It took about half an hour for Ron to cheer up. He made everyone in the house miserable as well by starting another horrible drum practice session in the room he shared with Harry. Hermione was considering a cheering charm when he finally stopped. She and Harry came back from their retreat to the drawing room, where they had tried to hide from the ear-bashing music. As they entered he exclaimed (to the relief of the other two) that he didn't really care that he wasn't taking Potions, because it was his least favorite class. He also added, grinning hugely, that they would now have to endure the endless hour and a half without him, which, in his mind, would make them even more miserable.
Hermione, Ginny, Ron and Harry spent the rest of the day 'till dinner in an upstairs parlor playing quiddtich. They persuaded Lupin to put a charm on the room for them, transfiguring it into an entire quidditch pitch. Though there now was no ceiling to the room, it still seemed to fit into the third story of the residence. Harry, who had received a ban from a temporary Hogwarts headmistress the previous year, enjoyed the few hours they spent on their brooms. Ginny, and Ron, who had been on the team the year before decided to practice their skills, (Ginny would be trying out for Chaser this year and she was aiming shots at the goal posts while Ron tried stop her.) While they were doing this, Harry was trying to help Hermione become a better flier. Hermione, who had never taken to quidditch because it was something that was impossible to learn out of a book, was using Fred's broom. Though she had been willing to try when the three others asked her to join them, she kept tumbling off her broom, even though it was only about five feet above the ground. By the time Mr. Weasley came to get them however, she had managed to fly around the entire pitch twice without falling and was practicing her shooting with Ginny and Ron while Harry chased the snitch.
As the four put away their brooms and went down to the party that Mrs. Weasley had prepared, they joked merrily about how Gryffindor would hopefully win the Inter House Quidditch Cup, like they had done the year before. When they entered the kitchen it was already crowded with people. Though, like the pitch upstairs, the room had been expanded to over several times its original area, they still needed to say "excuse us" several times before they got to the center where Mrs. Weasley had decked all the tables in the house with splendid food. After they had each gotten something to eat, Ginny hurried off to help her mother who was having trouble moving a large cauldron of soup off the stove. Harry, Ron and Hermione moved over towards a small card table and sat down. From that point of view they examined the room and the decorations.
"Look," said Harry, "They've made us a banner!" True to his word, a large banner with the words 'Congratulations Ron, Harry, Hermione on Excellent OWL scores!' The banner flashed multicolor lights and took up one whole side of the room.
"It looks like almost everyone from the Order is here." Said Ron after they finished admiring the banner. "Look, there's Moody, and Lupin, and Kingsley, and look; Tonks has her hair green now, and look how tall she's made herself!" It was true. Tonks, who had the ability to make herself change appearance at will, had decided that she'd spend the night at almost the same height as Hagrid, who was standing next to her.
"Let's go talk to them," said Hermione, gesturing to Moody, Lupin, Hagrid and Tonks. "We can ask them how things are going with the Order." The other two agreed that this was a good idea and put away their plates, which they had emptied. Each holding a bottle of Butterbeer, they continued their journey across the room towards the adults. Once they were about ten feet away, Ron tripped over his shoelace and fell flat on his nose. The hand holding his drink stretched in front of him, not spilling a drop from his bottle. All three of them laughed at Ron, who asked them to wait for him, so that he could tie his shoe. While Ron was busying himself with the frayed ends of the laces, Hermione and Harry managed to catch a brief part of the conversation that the group of Hagrid, Lupin, Tonks and Moody were having.
"If only Sirius were here," said Tonks with a sigh, "he'd really enjoy it."
"He'd be proud," added Mad-Eye Moody. "Always treated Potter like he was his own son."
"If on'y Harry'd 'ave though' t' go an' talk t' Snape abou' the mind readin' lessons 'e was supposed to be getting'." Said Hagrid as Harry stared at him in disbelief. "Then none o' this would 'ave 'appened. Not blamin 'im o'course, just sayin' it woulda helped."
With this Lupin looked down at the floor, a sad and mournful look on his face. He, being one of Sirius' best friends at Hogwarts, had obviously taken the death as a great impact.
Hermione, her eyes wide, turned to Harry with a questioning look. She didn't have to ask, it was obvious that Harry was hurt about what they had said. Before Hermione could say anything he had slammed his bottle down on a nearby empty table with a bang and was walked quickly out of the room, letting the door swing shut on his way out.
Ron, who had just risen from the floor, looked at Hermione with a confused look.
"What happened to him?" he asked, as the two heard an upstairs door slam loudly.
"Just stay here, I'll talk to him," was all she said before she put down her own drink and followed Harry.
As soon as she had left the room, Hermione sprinted up the stairs past the portrait of Sirius' mother, who had been woken up and was now screaming at the top of her lungs:
"MUDBLOODS AND COWARDS – HOW DARE YOU BESMIRK THIS HOUSE OF MY FATHER'S!"
Ignoring the screams, Hermione rushed up to Harry and Ron's room, throwing open the door to find Harry pacing, his hands clinging to his hair, obviously trying to pull it out. His face was flushed and his eyes were brighter than usual, reflecting to light from the ceiling lamp.
"Harry, it's okay, they didn't mean that," Hermione gasped, out of breath. "It's okay Harry."
Hermione stared at him, her eyes wide as she bit her lip. "Please Harry, you don't need to get upset, we'll go down and talk to them about it."
Harry sat down on the bed, head in his hands. "You don't understand Hermione. I- I, YOU AREN'T ME! ALRIGHT?" He looked up at her, his eyes red by now. "Everything- everything goes wrong. Always. And it's all my fault." He looked back down at his knees, sniffing hard and shaking with dry, silent sobs.
"Harry, it isn't you- It's just- It's-" Hermione desperately ran her hand through her hair.
"See? You can't-" Harry hiccupped. "YOU CAN'T EVEN THINK OF A REASON!" He got to his feet once more and returned to pacing. "IT'S ALWAYS MY FAULT! I got you hurt last year, if it hadn't been for me, you wouldn't have to take-" he swallowed, "that medicine, and- and Sirius would still be alive, and I'd probably be LIVING WITH HIM right now."
Hermione wiped her eyes and was surprised to find them wet with tears. "Harry, just listen-"
She made to move towards him, her hands outstretched but he shoved her away. When she approached again he let out a yell, "they did mean it, they meant every word!" Harry pushed her harder than he meant to, knocking her down. Hermione stared up at him from the floor, her eyes glistening with tears and her face scared. Harry looked down at her for several seconds, not saying anything but looking horrified at what he had done. Looking at his hands and then back at her tear-streaked face he began to cry harder himself. Whirling around he kicked his trunk as hard as he could and swore when he felt it make contact with his toes.
"SEE," he shouted, "I'm A MURDERER!! JUST STAY AWAY FROM ME! TELL EVERYONE TO STAY AWAY! I DESERVE TO DIE!"
Hermione took her chance and rushed to his side, putting her arms around him and holding him close before he could push her away again. Harry, gasping for air, broke down in tears against her shoulder, crying like he had never done before.
"It's okay Harry." Hermione whispered in his ear, "It's alright."
Hermione stayed with Harry till he calmed down considerably, then left the room so that he could change. Reentering when he was finished, she and Harry had a long talk about Sirius and his death. Hermione finally left when Harry had fallen asleep.
Back down at the party she told Ron, though he pestered to know more, that Harry wouldn't want to talk about it when he awoke the next morning and that what had been said was Harry's business. Then she herself when up to her own room and changed for bed.