The Adventure Continued
Chapter 6: Deadlines, Headaches, and House-elves
A/N: Hope this chapter is a little more entertaining. For those looking for the romance, thou must be patient. Love just doesn't strike everyone in the forehead ;) Please bear with me and celebrate because I'm on 4 favorite's lists, 4 story alerts, and no reviews! Must be a fanfic-record…
For the next couple days, Harry spent most of his time out of the office. Neither Tonks nor Kingsley gave him any more assignments, so most of his time was spent in the Ministry's Library. While Hermione was tied up with her studying to become a Healer, Harry was left to slave away looking for books. After the third day, he really wished he had paid more attention to the library system before leaving Hogwarts.
The paperwork that Harry knew needed to be filled out was still sitting on a desk in the living room. He hadn't looked at it, but each time he passed through the room, he could feel the stack staring back at him. "What did they get me into?" Harry whined. On top of all this, the Quidditch Cup in Ireland was fast approaching. Originally, Harry had been assigned to watch over the game, but Tonks had passed him up and gave the job to Ernie Macmillan, leaving Harry in a fowl mood.
Harry didn't feel any better the morning of the game, having neither tickets nor enough time to attend. Paperwork (or as he referred to it, "His pile of horrors") was due the next day and Harry had barely glanced at it. Finally, he managed to sit down at the table in the kitchen, and get started. Unfortunately, he had barely finished his name on the top when two soiled figures crashed from the fireplace.
"Harry!" Ron got up, dusting himself off. "I thought you were going to the game!"
Harry shook his head, not wanting to really talk about it. Really, who would want to talk about the greatest game of the year when they couldn't attend?
"Really, Harry, don't you think Professor McGonagall would understand if the paperwork isn't turned in for an extra day?" Hermione added.
Ron and Harry stared astonished at Hermione. Since when did Hermione Granger procrastinate? Or advise anyone to turn in something late? Oh dear, this world was coming to an end.
"Oh really, you two! It just isn't like Harry to miss such an important game! Besides, he had a bet, don't you remember?" Hermione peered at Harry.
"Besides," Ron added, still a bit stunned, but not by any spell, "I have an extra ticket. Bill can't make it. Seems him and Fleur have some family reunion or something like that. Just bring your paperwork with you. Maybe you can finish it during the game."
Harry grinned, despite his gut feeling that this was the worst thing he could do. It was supposed to be the most important game, though…
"Alright," he agreed. "Let's go!"
"I can't believe you, Harry," Ginny glared disapproving at Harry. Usually it was Hermione giving the lecture, but the latter didn't protest. "I got that paperwork done weeks ago and you just started! Don't you realize students are supposed to be getting their owls soon?"
Harry glanced at his watch. "I've got time. It's not due for another fifteen hours."
"Do you even have books lined up?" Ginny retorted, ignoring Harry's comment.
"Of course," Harry lied. However much time he had spent in the library, he barely found anything suitable for students. He was really depending on Hermione to help, but he couldn't ask her while she was preoccupied, studying furiously for exams.
Neither Harry nor Ginny exchanged words for the rest of the game. Everyone once in a while, Harry would watch the two seekers zoom across the stadium, each person hunting frantically for the snitch, or watch a goal being scored by some of the best chasers of the age. Sometimes, he would be caught daydreaming, remembering the days when that was him flying. How he would do anything to be up there!
It was during one of these moments that the snitch flitted in front of Harry, so close that Harry could reach out and grab it.
"Harry! Look out!" Hermione cried out, but before Harry realized what was happened, two bullets were hurtling towards him.
CRASH!
"HARRY!"
Harry woke up hours later feeling shots of pain cover his whole body. Although his eyes couldn't make out much without his glasses, he could still recognize the few blurs of red and Hermione's brown hair.
"Where am I?" Harry murmured, not remembering exactly what happened. "What happened?"
"You caught the snitch, Harry! You caught the snitch!" cried Ron with a broad grin on his face as Harry grabbed his glasses to see. He wasn't sure how he got his glasses as they just seemed to pop up into his hands. Was he in the hospital wing at Hogwarts?
Hardly. Harry neither recognized the room nor the witch tending to him, which turned out to be one of Hermione's instructors. The hum of the two chatting after Harry woke up filled the room.
"What do you mean, I caught the snitch? I wasn't even playing!" Harry began to recall where he was and what he was doing there. The game! His paperwork! "What time is it? Did the game end? Who won? What happened?"
"The game sure ended, Harry," Hermione laughed as she turned back to his bed. "You caught the snitch…or rather trapped it. Juan Ramirez was the first to get it from you, though. Of course, you wouldn't remember this because the trauma and the impact caused you to lose consciously fairly quickly. However, you helped Argentina win the Quidditch World Cup!"
"And guess by how much?" Ginny smirked, from next to Ron.
Harry closed his eyes and pulled out five galleons from his pocket, handing it over to Ginny. "Weasleys must be true seers or something. There's Fred and George, and then you…" Harry's voice trailed off in thought. Something weird just seemed to going on; as if the whole world seemed to be against him. Then again, it's been that way since he was a year old. "Can I leave now?"
The matron of the infirmary nodded her head and the group headed out. It was nearly midnight now, the game being over for nearly three hours. The grounds were still full from people staying over night, but a soft silence blanked the area. No one was snoring, moving, talking, walking, or doing anything to disrupt the peace…just silence.
Harry looked down at his paperwork: it was only halfway done and due in twelve hours. Groaning, he waved to his friends and disapparated back home to Number 12 Grimmauld Place, where a crackling fire and a strange little house-elf awaited him.
"Hello, Dobby," Harry greeted lazily, used to the house-elf's constant appearance from Hogwarts where the house-elf stilled served. After the problem that Kreacher provided leading to the latter's death, Dobby dedicated himself to taking care of Harry in place of Kreacher. Harry had protested that he didn't need a house-elf, but Dobby did prove useful and often Harry's spirits were lifted when Dobby popped up, reminding him of his previous home at Hogwarts.
"Dobby hears that Harry Potter will be coming Hogwarts!" Dobby sang gleefully. "Dobby will be delighted to be able to fully serve Harry Potter once again!" The house-elf bowed, his nose hitting the floor.
"Err…yeah," Harry answered, remembering his job and paperwork once again. "About that…I really need to get this paperwork done and I'm going to be spending the entire night working on it…"
The house-elf bowed, reading to leave when an idea popped into Harry's head. "Dobby, wait! Can you get into the Room of Requirements? Can you find the books that the D.A. used my fifth year at Hogwarts?"
Dobby thought a moment. "Dobby thinks he can find the books, Harry Potter! Dobby will do this right now and bring every book he can find!" Dobby bowed again and a loud bang declared his departure.
Harry grinned, realizing that he should have thought of this a long time ago. With a sigh of a relief, he worked to the wee hours of the morning, finally finishing a little before dawn. By the time the sun did rise, Harry was sleeping soundly in his chair, waiting for the house-elf that did not come…
BANG! BANG! BANG!