Here's chapter 17. Thanks to all who reviewed, I cant get enough.
October passed quickly for Harry and his friends, and before they knew it Halloween was only a day away.
The whole school now knew about the Mystic Knight roaming the halls, and just like Harry had predicted, they all believed it to be a seventh year. Between that and the school talking non-stop about Harry being an Animagus, the halls were never quiet, and Harry never had a moment's peace.
The Quidditch tryouts had been held the first week of October and Harry had been pleasantly surprised at how good Ron was. Gleefully giving him the Keeper position was his first decision as Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. The team had all decided that Harry would be best for the job the day of the tryouts themselves and Harry had accepted, clearly touched.
Jessica had continued her vigilant watch of the potions master, trying to decipher if he was truly as trustworthy as Dumbledore deemed him to be. She had told Harry one night that she didn't believe Snape was going to Deatheater meetings anymore. She had said that either Voldemort had not called any, which was unlikely because he seemed to want Harry dead more then ever, or Voldemort had purposely excluded him. She believed that Voldemort may have found out Snape was a spy for Dumbledore, which seemed much more likely to both of them.
But what worried Harry, Jessica, Ron and Hermione most was the lack of attacks by Voldemort and his followers. It had been three weeks since the attack of the Fire Wolf, which Harry had named Moondance and now spent his times wandering the Forbidden forest and Hogwarts halls, keeping watch over the students. It was beginning to unnerve Harry. Although the peace was a blessing to Harry he realized that If Voldemort wasn't attacking, then something big and, most definitely, bad was coming.
So now the friends sat in the Great Hall eating breakfast, the day before Halloween and edgier then ever.
"Harry you must really learn to relax," Kiara scolded as she nibbled some bacon she had swiped from Jessica's plate, "'What happens happens there is no way to change that. Just sit back and enjoy the peace until it is broken.'"
Harry sighed but said nothing, pushing scrambled eggs around his plate. Harry had actually managed to convince Hagrid that the Phoenix Lords had been in the forest and seemed to take a liking to the two of them. It took a while but Hagrid and the students stopped asking about them, finally accepting Harry's excuse. Now the Mystic Knights couldn't go anywhere without the birds. Harry appreciated that the Phoenixes wanted to protect them, but at times like these, when Harry wished to be alone with his brooding, he wished they would back off for a little while. But he would never tell them that, it would be rude and ungrateful.
Harry nearly jumped out of his seat when something cold and wet touched his hand. Looking under the table he saw the familiar black dog. "I'm ok Snuffles," he whispered stroking the dogs head, "just a little anxious I guess."
Snuffles whined and gave him a knowing look before lying at his feet again determined to stay by his Godsons side no matter what.
Harry sighed again, between Sirius, Kiara, Shire, Ron, Hermione, Greg and Jessica; Harry was being to feel a little suffocated. They were all worried about him, he could understand why too, but that didn't make their constant fussing any less annoying. They all knew he didn't sleep well, because of his nightmares, and they knew he wasn't eating much because of the constant foreboding feeling in the pit of his stomach. But he just wished they would give him some air, let him work this out on his own. Unfortunately for him that didn't look like it would happen any time soon.
The others, noticing his foul mood, said nothing about eating more as they saw his still full plate. They knew he was worried but they also knew they could do nothing to alleviate that tension. They would just have to wait until he snapped out of it.
"Double Potions first thing," Ron groaned shoving more eggs into his already full mouth. "Brilliant way to start a Friday morning." He muttered bitterly scowling at his schedule.
Hermione shot him a sympathetic smile, "Maybe he won't be so bad today?" she suggested.
For the past few weeks Snape had become totally unbearable, even to the Slytherins. Jessica had said it was probably because he realized that Voldemort wasn't calling him to meetings anymore. Snape probably thought the same thing she did; Voldemort knew he was a spy.
"Hopefully, but not likely," Jessica said pushing her plate away and leaning forward on her elbows, "I think he's going to be just as sour forever, or at least until Voldemort puts him out of his misery." She whispered laughing a little.
Harry and Ron joined her laughing, but Hermione looked scandalized.
"How can you say that?" she whispered harshly, "he's a human being and your talking about his death like it's a joke?"
Jessica rolled her eyes, "It was just a joke Granger, I was just lightening the mood. Besides they thought it was funny." She waved to Ron and Harry who were still chuckling.
Hermione huffed gathered her things and stalked out of the Great Hall.
Jessica rolled her eyes again, "Geez, she needs to get a sense of humor."
Harry shook his head feeling a little better, "Come on, we don't want to be late for Snape's class, he might throw us in Azkaban."
Laughing Ron and Jessica followed Harry out into the hall and towards the dungeons, Snuffles trailing behind them. They didn't get very far though because a certain Ravenclaw was suddenly blocking their way.
Harry groaned inwardly, 'Just what I need,' he thought plastering a fake smile on his face. "Hello cho, is there something I can help you with?"
"Actually I was wondering if I could talk to you," she whispered, "privately." she added looking pointedly at Ron, and Jessica.
Harry nearly groaned out loud, he was pretty sure what she wanted to talk about, and he wanted desperately to say no, but remembered the brush off he gave her last time. He didn't want to hurt her feelings again.
"I'll meet you in class," he told them taking Shire off his shoulder and handing him to Ron. His friends nodded and continued to the dungeons. Noticing Snuffles still sitting beside him and not wanting his Godfather to hear what she had to say he added, "You too Snuffles, go outside and run around or something." When the dog remained unwaveringly at his side he snapped, "NOW!"
Snuffles started and threw Harry an indignant glare before running to the entrance hall and out of sight.
"Sorry," Harry smiled sheepishly, "I can never get a moments peace with that dog hanging around. What did you want to speak to me about?"
Cho shyly returned the smile and began, "I wanted to tell you that... well... I don't blame you for Cedric's death, and I believe that you-know-who has indeed returned like you said. I think pretty much everyone does after what happened in the Great Hall, you know, with that Fire Wolf... the one that's hanging around the castle?"
Harry snorted inwardly, 'Yeah like I would forget him,' he thought
"Yeah, I remember."
"Well the Fire Wolf..." she was cut of by Harry when he said something about a moon and dancing. "What?" Did Harry just ask her to dance under the moon with him?
"His name is Moondance." Harry repeated.
"Oh, er, right. Well when Moondance and the Deatheater tried to kill you we all pretty much realized a Deatheater wouldn't just attack without being ordered. So I think that changed everyone's minds. I'm sorry I didn't believe you at first, I should have."
Harry shrugged, "Don't worry about it, nobody believed me except Dumbledore and my friends. I don't think I would have believed it had I not seen it. As the saying goes, 'seeing is believing'." He said.
She nodded a smile creeping onto her face, "You know the first Hogsmeade visit is coming up in a few weeks, right?"
Liking the change of subject Harry nodded. Come to think of it he did remember reading the notice on the bulletin board in the common room a few days ago. "Yeah, I'm surprised we can still go, what with Voldemort being back and all." He answered ignoring the Ravenclaw's wince at the mention of the Dark Lords name.
"Well apparently the teachers are going to take turns coming with us," Cho explained, "Three a trip, alternating shifts, you know? Anyways, I was wondering if... well maybe you... I mean." She took a moment to gather herself, "Harry do you want to go with me? To Hogsmeade I mean."
Harry was shocked, did Cho Chang, the popular Ravenclaw sixth year just ask him on a date? "You mean like a... date?"
Cho nodded enthusiastically; obviously glad he had picked up on that. "Yes, I mean a date. Just you, me and Hogsmeade."
Harry was speechless; he didn't know what to say. Cho Chang the girl; he had a crush on since last year just asked him out. Obviously there was only one thing he could say, "Er...sounds good. I'll see you then."
Cho beamed and skipped to her next class happily, leaving Harry to make his way dazedly towards potions.
Harry plopped down in his seat between Jessica and Ron that day at lunch, very much out of the stupor Cho had put him in that morning. He had been late for Potions and Snape had screamed at him for ten minutes before taking fifty points off Gryffindor and assigning him a detention. Harry had been livid, but managed to control himself before he cursed the grouchy greasy haired git.
"Snape can be a real ass," Ron told his best friend sympathetically. "Why were you so late anyway, I though Cho just wanted a quick word?"
"Well she just wanted to tell me she didn't blame me for Cedric's death and that she believes Voldemort really has returned." He hesitated now, not sure if he should tell Ron the rest.
"And?" Ron prompted knowing Harry wasn't telling him everything.
"And she wanted to ask me to go to Hogsmeade with her the first visit... on a date." He admitted a little reluctantly.
"Brilliant!" Ron said slapping Harry hard on the back, "You said yes right?"
"Yeah," Harry answered relived Ron was happy for him, "Of course I did."
"Good on you," Hermione added with a genuine smile, "It's about time you do something normal for a change. Dating is just a natural part of life, I'm proud of you Harry."
Harry turned to Jessica, his smile faltering a little, "Jess?"
Jessica looked up a smile showing on her face, Harry couldn't tell if it was sincere or not, "Congratulations Harry."
"Thanks." He whispered grinning, Harry wasn't sure why, but looking at Jessica made him want to dash to the Ravenclaw table and break the date with Cho. Forcing himself to shake the thoughts away he continued his meal, listening to the chatter of his friends as they continued on like nothing had happened. Jessica not once attempting to join in the conversation. She remained unusually quiet the rest of the day.
Well there's another chapter. A bit longer then the last one. I'm not real good at romance but I'll try my best. Should this story be a Harry/Cho or Harry/Jessica, any suggestions? Please review. Cheers!