Harry Potter and the Secret Squib!
Chapter Seven: The Captains Badge
Harry was waiting for hours to ask Ron about what Kreacher had said, he had it all planned out in his head, he'll give Ron the opportunity to own up and if he doesn't, Harry will tell him he knows.
Hermione was in the kitchen talking with her parents, Mrs. Weasley and Ginny; Harry knew that if he didn't ask Ron now he wouldn't get the chance again for hours.
"Hey Ron... do you want to come help me unpack my Hogwarts things?" asked Harry
"Yeah alright mate, should we ask Hermione too?"
"Nah, let her spend some more time with her parents"
"Guess your right, c'mon, let's go" said Ron as he got up from his chair
"Ron are we in the same rooms as last year?" asked Harry
"Yeah, your stuffs already in there anit it?"
"Yeah I think so, that's what your dad said..."
Harry and Ron walked through the door into their room, it was a lot different from last year; it looked homier.
The walls were now fixed and painted, they had put in four bed side tables, two desks, two cupboards, two new beds and had a whole new carpet put down. Ron had also put up dozen's of Chuddley Cannon's posters around the room, he even had his Cleansweep Seven in a sort of Broom holder, and he had Pigwideon's cage on his desk.
Harry's trunk, however,was lying on his bed with his Firebolt while Hedwig and her cage were on his desk, just like Ron's.
"Whoa Ron... this place looks... new!"
"Yeah... mum and dad said since we'll be spending the summer here we may as make it look more like homier, I hope you don't mind the Cannon posters?"
"Nah they're fine... oh wow Ron, when'd you get this picture?" said Harry holding up a photo frame with a picture of Harry, Ron and Hermione in it.
"Oh, Colin Creevey gave it to me... he took it last year, remember?He gave me the copy, its really cool!"
"Yeah, Ron, can I um... talk to you about something?" said Harry nervously as he opened his trunk
"Yeah, shoot..." said Ron calmly as he gazed at the picture
"Well... what's going on with you and Hermione?"
Ron dropped the picture and it smashed.
"What - What do mean... what's going on with me and H - Hermione!" said Ron sounded panicky
"Well, you two have been acting weird lately..."
"No - no we haven't! W-what d'ya mean weird?" said Ron sounded even more panicky
"Weird weird... like you two have been really jumpy and stuff..."
"W-what? N-no we h-haven't... What are y-you talking about Harry?" said Ron sounding worried
Harry couldn't help but smile, Ron was doing the worst attempt at covering up he'd done in his whole life.
"Ron... I know all about Kreacher..."
"What? What about Krea-"
"Ron just shut up with the act, I know all about it; just tell me your side of the story will ya'..."
"Oh..." said Ron sounding upset "well, if you must know..."
Harry laid calmly down on his bed next to his trunk "I'm all ears Ron" he said joyfully
"Well, me and Hermione were um... looking for that stupid cook book for mum. We were looking through all the old books and we got covered in dust. I found the cook book mum wanted and held it up to the light to make sure it was the right one, and as I did my face got covered in dust... and well Hermione laughed... you know with that really great laugh she has...
Harry laughed.
"I'm sorry, I won't interrupt anymore, continue..."
"Well anyway... I tried to rub it all off, but I still had a bit on my cheek, she leaned in to rub it off for me and ours eyes just kinda'... met... you know? Well... we just sort of kissed by accident..." said Ron tensely while still standing with his back to Harry where he had dropped the picture
Harry tried to cover up his laugh.
"Go on... I know there's more... Romeo..." laughed Harry with a grin spreading from cheek to cheek
"...We both kinda' stepped back... and apologised at the same time, like exactly the same time, then we both laughed about it and then our eyes just kinda' met... again... and we kissed... again... but this time... it was a proper kiss... and we both meant it... well... I thought we both meant it..."
Ron still had his back to Harry.
"And then as we were kissing... that pratt Kreacher jumped out and started saying he was going to tell everyone... Hermione begged him to keep it a secret... and after he ran outa' the room, Hermione turned back to me and said... she said she didn't mean the kiss and that we both should... should just forget about it... because... well... 'kissing isn't what friends do'..." said Ron sorrowfully
Harry grin suddenly faded in a second. He slowly sat up.
"Oh... Ron I'm... I thought you two were... I'm sorry Ron" said Harry gloomily
Ron turned back round to face Harry. He hade tears running down his cheeks and in his eyes.
"Ron... I... I really am sorry... I didn't know that she... Ron... I'm... sorry" said Harry Bleakly
"Don't w-worry about it m-mate... you d-didn't know..." said Ron forgivingly while rubbing the tears from his cheeks
"Wait a' m-minute... How did you get it out of Kreacher?" said Ron
"What?" said Harry confused
"You said you got the secret from Kreacher... what did you do to make him tell you?"
"Oh... I kinda' threatened him..." laughed Harry
"You threatened him? What with? A new rag?"
"No... I kinda said if he didn't tell me, I'd - um -use Avada Kedavra on him..."
Harry and Ron burst out laughing, the suddenly came an enormous bang at the window, which made the room go completely silent.
"...ahh Pig... how many times do I have to tell you... The top half of the window is never open!" said Ron caringly ashegrabbedthe small owlandslowly slid down the window.
"Hey Ron, you didn't get another few owls did you?" asked Harry
"No why?" answered Ron
"Then whose are those three owls?" said Harry while pointing at the three owls flying towards the window.
As the owls landed on the window Harry knew who they were from, they all had a small gold shield tied around their neck, the Hogwarts Shield. All three of them were each were holding an envelope with their claws.
"Hey Ron! Look! They're from Hogwarts!" said Harry excitedly
"Oh yeah, Dumbledore must have sent you something for your birthday... yeah look, they all say 'Mr. H. Potter' on them" pointed Ron
Harry took the letters from all three of the owls and started to open them. Harry opened the first envelope; it was an old and dirty piece of parchment and it was also very crumpled. It read in very scruffy handwriting:
To Mr. Harry Potter Sir,
Happy Birthday!
Dobby will be seeing you soon!
From,
Dobby Sir
As Harry put the letter down with the envelope two completely different socks came out of it. Harry laughed and opened the Second one.
Dear Harry,
Happy Sixteenth Birthday,
A. Dumbledore
There was another piece of parchment with Dumbledore's letter.
'The Mirror Will Work'
"What? The mirror will work?" said Harry confusedly while laying Dumbledore's card on his bed
Harry finally turned to the last letter and opened it.
"Mr. Potter,
Happy Birthday
Sincerely,
Professor M. McGonagal
Deputy Headmistress.
PS. Enclosed is something you shall find very useful. I thought it would be better to give it to you today, rather than when you return to Hogwarts.
Harry shook the envelope to see if there was anything inside, as he turned the envelope over and held out is hand he couldn't believe his eyes, there, sitting in his hand, was a badge, the Gryffindor Captain's badge.
"Whoa... Harry... you know what that is don't you..." said Ron stunned
"Y - yeah... it's the Captain's badge... look... there's another letter..." said Harry as he pulled another letter from the envelope.
Congratulations Mr. Potter,
You are now Gryffindor's new Quidditch house team captain.
You may start to select your team when ever you want, but you must have it ready by the start of the new Quidditch season.
Sincerely,
Professor M. McGonagal
Deputy Headmistress.
PS. If you are wondering about the 'ban' from Professor Umbridge; all her rules from last year have been discarded.
Good Luck Mr. Potter
Harry was completely taken back, he was Gryffindor's new house captain, he would get to pick the team... and more importantly, He, George and Fred could all play Quidditch again!
"So Ron, how'd you feel about being keeper for another year or two?" laughed Harry
"Really? Yeah sure! But who else are you going to ask?" replied Ron
"Well, Ginny said she always wanted to be a Chaser, so I'll ask her... I just wished Katie, Angelina and Alicia hadn't left, and your brothers... this year isn't going to be easy..." said Harry
"Yeah tell me about it... but then again... most of the other house teams have lost their players too!"
"Yeah true, let's go down stairs and tell everyone! We'll want to ask Ginny as soon as possible" said Harry excitedly