Chapter 11: Home to Hogwarts
As the carriage neared Hogwarts, Harry was able to expand his mind and fully appreciate just how good the defense and protection of the great castle was. He couldn't even focus on the individual protective wards due to the number and power of them.
Soon the thestrals had stopped and the teenagers clambered out and into the front door. They entered the front gates, and Harry and Ginny caught sight of Fred and George who winked at them. The twins walked over to the Slytherin table before anyone else and discreetly pulled out their wands.
Harry and Ginny then followed the plan and walked along the other side of the table, muttering charms under their breath. After reaching the end of the table, they went straight to their seats at the Gryffindor table. Harry, however, glanced up to the staff table and was rewarded with a twinkling eye.
Once the students all sat down, Harry looked up at the table to see the ministry's own representative—a giant toad with a fly perched on her head.
Then he realized it was, indeed, a woman…
She was squat, with short, mouse-brown hair in which she had placed a horrible pink Alice band that matched the fluffy pink cardigan she wore over her robes. She seemed to know Harry was staring at her, because she turned toward him, and he saw that she even had a pair of toad-like prominent, pouchy eyes.
Their eyes met, and instantly Harry knew they would make each other's lives a whole lot worse this year. Luckily Ron broke the glare they were giving each other by saying, "Nice cardigan," while smirking.
Harry snorted and nodded his agreement. "Very nice indeed, it goes well with the pink fly atop the toad's head…I wonder when she is going to grab it with her tongue…"
Ginny, Ron, and Hermione all agreed thoughtfully, and all four burst into laughter. Before they could continue, however, Professor McGonagall led the first years up to a stool where she placed the hat. The whole school was quiet, each student holding his or her breath. Then the rip opened, and the Sorting Hat burst into song.
Harry listened, catching every word the Sorting Hat said. He looked up to see the headmaster of Hogwarts, eye twinkling, looking somewhat sadly and hopefully around the great hall as the Hat warned the students to unite if they wished to be strongest. Harry gazed around the school, trying to think of ways the school could become more united.
After the Sorting Hat finished the Hall burst into applause, but with much mutterings and whisperings behind the initial clapping.
Ron leaned across the table and muttered to Harry and Ginny, "Branched out a bit this year, hasn't it?" His eyebrows were raised in question.
"Too right it has, giving us a bit of a warning…I can't think of anything to unite us all though. All the school-wide activities pit us against each other."
Ginny nodded thoughtfully and Hermione sat still, not adding anything, but looked up at the new Defense teacher.
Professor McGonagall began reading off the names, and the sorting began. Harry became impatient as "Lapham, Jimmy" sat up on the stool and began whispering, in Ginny's ear, names of the foods he would eat.
Ron, who had apparently been listening, all but shouted across the table, "Will you stop, I'm starving!" He then realized the entire Gryffindor table, and much of the Hufflepuff table heard him, and his ears turned a bright shade of crimson.
The other three friends broke into light sniggers as Ginny scolded, "You shouldn't have been listening in on our conversation anyway. For all you know Harry could've been talking about…something you definitely wouldn't like to hear."
Ron's face then followed his ears' examples and heated up. He replied, "That was what I was afraid of." Harry vaguely heard, "Zeller, Rose" being sorted into Hufflepuff, and looked up to see the sorting done.
"Thanks for passing the time, mate."
Dumbledore stood up and spoke in a strong voice while lifting his arms and a smile on his face, "To out newcomers, welcome! And to our old hands—welcome back! There is a time for speech making, but this is not it. Tuck in!"
Harry smiled as the foods previously mentioned to Ginny appeared in front of him. He watched, and joined in, as his friends all reached in and grabbed all that their plates could hold.
Harry listened contently as Nearly Headless Nick spoke proudly of the Sorting Hat and noble blood and ended up talking about his death. Soon his stomach was full, and as if on cue, Dumbledore got up to address the school.
By the time he had reached when and where quidditch tryouts would be, there was a sound, that Harry already knew he was going to end up hating. "Hem, hem," was the poisoned honey noise coming from the great toad's mouth.
The whole hall stared incredulously at the woman as she interrupted Dumbledore's speech, and stood to make her own. Harry once again listened to a warning. This time of change, and the ministry would be heading that change at Hogwarts.
Harry glanced around the room, and saw wonderful reactions from the student body. The majority, like Ron, were muttering in friends' ears and not paying any attention to the lady introduced as Professor Umbridge. A few others, such as Ernie Macmillan, were staring at her as if they were entranced by an object behind her, and every word was going right past them. However, it was Dumbledore's reaction that made Harry laugh under his breath.
The good professor was staring at the toad as if she were sharing the most fascinating piece of information known to wizard-kind. Soon after she finished her speech, Dumbledore stood back up and looked to her.
"Thank you, Professor Umbridge, that was most illuminating," he said with a bow, and Harry no longer could hold it and he let out a gasp of a laugh that he covered up quite nicely withcough exceptto his closer friends who knew him too well. Harry looked up to see Dumbledore's twinkling eye on him once more and his beard twitching madly as he finished his interrupted speech.
Fred and George managed to get Harry and Ginny's attention, and Harry watched as the twins cast the spell to initiate their previous spell. Just as Dumbledore made to sit down, half the students at the Slytherin table's hair turned hot pink, that illuminated, making Harry think of a neon Tonks.
Harry again looked back to the twins as the Hall burst into laughter and applause. He then glanced at Ginny before they said,
"Not bad, brothers of mine—"
"I'm sure that will be fun for them—"
"Ours on the other hand is a bit—"
"…We'll let you decide."
Harry and Ginny muttered, "activatum priori incatatem."
The other half of the table, which Harry was happy to note was where Malfoy was sitting, also got bright neon pink hair. But their robes, which were previously the pale green and silver, also turned luminous pink, but the glow was bright enough to blind someone if they stared to long.
The Hall burst into a new mirth, and it didn't help when the students tried to stand up and were stuck to their seats, unable to stand, or move. It certainly didn't help when Snape stood, walked down from the staff table and tried to lift Malfoy out of his chair and had the same pink affect on him.
Harry once again proceeded to glance up at the staff table. Dumbledore's beard was no longer twitching because it was moving up and down with his laughter. Even McGonagall's mouth was twitching until she, too, gave way and smiled.
With that, Harry and Ginny released the sticking spell and stood to leave with Fred and George in their wake. They vaguely heard Ron muttering brilliant, and Hermione telling him to stop staring and bring the first years up.
As soon as they reached the corridor outside the Great Hall they turned around and found the twins grinning down on them. "Now the Slytherin kids match the new teacher…" George said.
"That was brilliant, eh, George?"
"Indeed, Fred, but no time now, we have to get the thing."
"Right, plan 2 will be carried out now."
Harry glanced at Ginny. "We'll take care of part one, you two can do the dirty work."
"Agreed!"
"Meet us in the common room in thirty minutes," Ginny said.
So the couple set off in the opposite direction of the twins. Harry, knowing where to go, as he had been there in second year, led the way. He pulled out the Marauder's Map and his invisibility cloak as they picked up their pace.
Reaching the edge of the corridor, Harry turned down passageways and through dungeons and down one more corridor. He stopped abruptly and threw the cloak around them. He stopped for a moment, and looked into Ginny's eyes before kissing her deeply.
"What was that for?" Ginny asked, her eyes still closed.
"I've always wanted to kiss a girl under this thing." She looked at him with raised eyebrows. "Ok, you caught me…I've wanted to kiss you under this thing for three months." Ginny smiled before Harry waved his hand over the parchment, muttering, "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good."
The dots and names appeared, and Harry saw a large group of Slytherins stopping at a wall before a gap opening and them hurrying inside. Harry smiled at Ginny again and the rounded the corner, careful not to get too close to anyone. They crept up close before they heard a third year telling the stretch of bare, damp stone "Pure-blood." It opened, revealing a secret doorway and the small girl walked inside.
Harry and Ginny turned around and Harry asked her if they ever change their password. They made their way up to the Gryffindor tower, after shedding the cloak and clearing the map. They gave the password, Mimbulus mimbletonia, which Hermione had told them on the train, and crawled into the common room.
They passed Fred and George, posting a bulletin for testing products for money, and muttered, "Pure-blood" just loud enough for them to hear. The twins each gave a little nod, to show that they heard, and Ginny slipped the Marauder's Map into George's robe pocket.
Harry walked over to the girls staircase with Ginny. "G'night, Gin. Welcome back to Hogwarts, eh? It's too bad the whole school won't see what the next generation of Marauders has done to the snakes…"
Ginny smiled and kissed Harry before walking up the staircase. Harry knew something was wrong as she walked up the stairs. He could see it on her face…and he could feel it.
Quite tired, Harry decided to turn in. He went up the stairs and into his room, now marked for fifth years. Harry gazed around the room, to find he was the last to arrive. "Hey Dean, Seamus. Have good summers?"
Dean immediately returned the greeting and answered positively. Seamus hardly looked up at Harry and didn't answer. "Seamus? Good summer?"
"Me mam didn't want me to come back to Hogwarts"
"What?" Harry asked, "Why?"
Seamus coughed before answering softly, "Well, I suppose because of you."
Harry merely glared at the boy and answered, "Ah…and you?"
"Huh?"
"What do you think Seamus…you've known me longer than most, do you think I am an attention-seeking liar who would say his parents' murderer is back from the dead to gain a little more fame?"
"Listen, Harry…" He trailed off.
Harry couldn't help but laugh after waiting for several moments. "I'm listening…"
"It's hard to believe, we have no confirmation other than your word."
Ron broke in, "That's plenty of confirmation then, isn't it?"
Harry was grateful for Ron's support and added sadly, but with a smile, "And the mass breakout of Azkaban is nothing?"
"Ok…I believe you, I just don't want to. It's too scary, the stories I've heard, and I don't want it to be true."
Harry smiled, more sadly, but with relief, "Good…It is good to know I have friends behind me in this. It isn't a great comfort reading the stuff in The Prophet about all this."
Seamus nodded and got into his bed, drawing the curtains around his bed. The other boys duplicated the action and all got settled. Harry fell into a troubled sleep.
Harry awoke and looked at his clock. It had two hands pointing at the one. Harry felt sick, like he forgot something and he needed to get it done. Like Ginny needed help. He instantly got dressed and went downstairs. His fears were confirmed when he saw Ginny staring at the fire, with a pained expression on her face.
Harry silently walked over and wrapped his arms around her as he sat down. She was startled at first, and then she immediately relaxed. Harry felt the sickness wash away. "Hey, Gin. Wanna talk about it?"
"I…I had a—" She was cut off by the portrait swinging open and the twins rushing inside, whispering excitedly.
"Oooo, what are you lovebirds doing up?"
Harry, thinking quickly, said, "We wanted to know if everything went according to plan."
"Indeed, thus ends the pranks of pink. We will move into stuff later once we get settled next week, agreed?"
"Sounds great. Good night then," Harry said as the twins walked right to the stairs, and without a passing glance, walked up them. Harry turned back to Ginny, whom he was glad to see had a small smile. "You had a what?"
"It happens the first day back…every year since the Chamber incident. I always think I am past it, then I get the nightmare. It must be being in the castle, feeling all this magic again, brings it back."
"Do you want to go through the dream with me?"
"It's mostly just repeats of everything I did…controlling that beast, doing Riddle's bidding. I am sickened by it all. I killed roosters…who does that?"
"I do it all the time, Gin…" He knew it wouldn't offend her, he knew she would smile, he knew her. "Come on…you said it yourself, you are past it. You know it wasn't you. You know that he is evil, and you know it's all over."
"I still can't help but feel the Chamber still has a monster in it."
"You know it doesn't, Gin."
"We left in such a rush, Harry."
Harry sighed; he should have told her earlier. "Yes, but you've been back again. All summer you've been in the Chamber, Gin." Harry watched as confusion etched away and recognition replaced it on her face.
"And you never told me?"
"Are you mad at me?" he asked, carefully.
Her face softened. "Only because you didn't tell me earlier; we could've avoided this whole thing. Did you think I couldn't handle it?"
"I knew you could…I just didn't want you to have to handle it."
Her face completely softened, and she said, "That's sweet, Harry. But really, I need to know you trust me."
"I trust you more than you could know." Harry said it so sincerely he was surprised.
Ginny leaned over and kissed him.
Maybe it was the fact that they were on a comfortable couch by the warm fire, maybe it was the fact that they were back at Hogwarts, or maybe it was the fact that Harry and Ginny had just shared some personal information…it didn't really matter why, but when the two kissed, such energy passed through them they broke the kiss breathing heavily.
Ginny looked into Harry's eyes and said, "Harry, what's going on?"
"I dunno, Gin. It's definitely not normal, but it is definitely wonderful." He closed his eyes and leaned in for another kiss. This time, they allowed the energy to remain as he deepened the kiss.
They didn't know how, but somehow they ended up lying across the couch, and Harry found, as he planted kissed down her face, that if he didn't stop soon, he might not be able to stop. He pulled back and started, "Ginny, I—"
He was pleasantly surprised to see she had pulled back as well and had said, "Harry, I—"
They merely smiled at the other and Ginny turned around, into Harry's arms, and snuggled up against him. He tightened his hold on her and pulled her in close, and before they knew it, they had fallen asleep on the couch in the Gryffindor Common Room.
Harry awoke feeling more refreshed than he had ever in his entire life. It was the most exhilarating feeling as his eyes shot open and he saw Ginny in his arms. He quickly took in his surroundings, and noticed it was probably about five o'clock. He didn't understand how he felt so revitalized after so few hours of sleep, but he didn't mind.
Ron wouldn't be awake for a couple hours, but Harry decided to play it safe, and take Ginny up to her bed. He gathered her sleeping body in his arms, trying hard not to wake her, and stared, entranced, by her face. After several moments, he shook his head and walked to the girls' staircase.
He was about to take the first step when he felt something was wrong. He felt around with his mind and came upon a charm. Harry smiled as he realized what would have happened had he taken that step. He quickly found a countercharm and cast it. Harry hesitantly took the first step and sighed in relief.
Unfortunately the sigh woke Ginny, who was immediately alert. "Harry? What's going on?"
"Well, I was going to take you up to bed before Ron caught us asleep together."
Ginny blushed a bit before adding quickly, "Platonically sleeping, of course."
"Well, yea," also blushing, "but he wouldn't care. He's a bit…overzealous about keeping us not overzealous."
"Well, I'm awake now, so you can put me down."
"Oh…right." Harry was actually reluctant to put her down, as it felt so nice to have her in his arms.
"Harry, how did you get on this first step?" She asked, smiling at him.
He smiled and said, "I'll never tell."
Ginny suddenly burst out, "I've never felt so reenergized in my life."
"I know. I can't figure out what it was. I got less sleep last night than I usually do."
"Me too…"
They looked at each other and blushed again. "It must be something to do with what is different with us…and with us being together last night."
Ginny nodded. "So, we're up, what do you want to do?"
"I think the new Marauders need to be introduced this morning…"
"Ron, would you please not talk when your mouth is full?" Hermione pulled a disgusted face and pushed her plate away from her.
Ron swallowed the bacon, eggs, sausage, hash browns, and juice that were floating around in his mouth before answering, "I'll think about it."
Harry and Ginny grinned as they looked up at the staff table. They knew at least four of the teachers would remember the Marauders. The reactions of Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, and Flitwick would surely be very different from one another.
Harry then glanced over at the Slytherins, all of them in bad moods. He would be, too, if someone had charmed his entire common room to be pink and fluffy. Harry then gazed up, and was happy to note the entire owlery collection of owls was fluttering in, each carrying something red.
They flew to each student, who grimaced at the Howler the owl dropped off. Anxious to see why everyone had gotten a Howler, the entire student body ripped theirs open and leaned back, waiting for the explosion. It didn't come…
Harry casually opened his Howler, unleashing a large voice booming throughout the hall.
"GOT YA!"
Most students had relaxed and began to laugh at the fake Howler, making them more startled when the booming voice ran across the Hall. The Howler then spoke:
"THE NEXT GENERATION OF MARAUDERS HAS COME TO HOGWARTS! BEWARE, AND DON'T GET ON THEIR BAD SIDE!"
Harry and Ginny didn't realize how loud hundreds of Howlers would be. They had lowered the volume, but, in their haste that morning, had forgotten to calculate the volume that would be produced.
For several minutes, students were shouting to each other, wondering who and what the new Marauders were. Slowly, everyone's hearing came back, and the Hall resumed its normal chatter, but all chatter was of Marauders.
Ron and Hermione immediately looked up at Harry and Ginny after the Howler had stopped. Hermione's eyebrows were furrowed. "Harry, has all this been your doing?"
Harry feigned innocence and said, "Hermione…how…why…what would make you say that?"
Ron was grinning madly. "Maybe because about ten people in this Hall know who the Marauders were, and six of them haven't done anything, obviously. So, it is probably you two, or the twins." Ron glanced down the table a ways.
Fred and George were gazing admiringly at Harry and Ginny. They walked over, grabbed the couple, and pulled them away. "Ok, nice work…my ears are still ringing. When and how did you do this?"
Harry spoke up. "We woke early this morning, went and got all the owls, and tied a bunch of Howlers to their legs."
"That doesn't explain how you got hundreds of Howlers out, and how they sounded the exact same."
"A simple duplicating and protean charm did the trick."
The twin's mouths dropped. "Those are spells learned in our year," George said.
"Yea…well, Gin and I had some motive to learn them…"
Fred turned to George and said, "You know, brother, I think we'll be glad we came back this year…after all, we may learn some useful spells for some products."
George nodded, and together, the twins walked off. Ginny shook her head and walked back to the table, where Professor McGonagall was passing out the time tables.
Harry walked back in time to hear Ron groan. "Ugh…awful Monday. Terrible. History of Magic, double Potions and DADA with the toad, and Divination after lunch."
Ginny then groaned. "Mine's not much better. Double DADA, Muggle studies, Potions and History of Magic."
Harry smiled. "That means the other days will be good then. Hey Gin," he said as the bell rang, "meet me before potions outside?"
Ginny nodded and they head their different ways after she left a peck on his cheek.
Professor Binns. It was a rather lame subject to have taught by the man…ghost. He droned on for an hour and a half. Harry gave up trying to sit still and listen, so he decided to play a game of hangman with Ron and listen, instead.
Harry had already read much of Giant wars, but it was new to him because these wars were more recent, so it caught some of his attention. By the end of class Hermione was huffing about, glaring at the two.
"How would it be," she said, after the bell had rung, "if I didn't lend my notes to you this year."
"You would feel guilty that we failed our exams and go on hating yourself for your entire life."
Harry thought for a moment before answering. "How about you just give your notes to Ron…I think I got it fine."
"How could you possibly? You were playing hangman the whole time!"
"I, Hermione, have a good memory. Go on, ask me a question."
"Fine," she huffed as she got out a roll of notes. "What year did Gurg Bone Hammer of the Hawatian tribe cease battle with Gurg Chistlefaw of the Lertinog tribe?"
"1374."
"…" Hermione then threw her bag over her shoulder and stormed off.
"Nice one, mate. Did you see her notes?"
"No…I remembered."
Ron frowned.
The trio met back up in the dungeons outside of Snape's room. Hermione had gotten over what anger and disapproval she felt towards the boys and they discussed what Snape would have in store for them. They decided it would be very difficult.
They sat down and waited for the billowing of robes before—"Before we begin today's lesson, I think it necessary to remind you that come June you will all be sitting a very important examination. Moronic as most of you are, I expect all of you to get at least an 'acceptable' on your test.
Neville visibly and audibly gulped as Snape's gaze lingered on him.
"I will only take the best into N.E.W.T.S., so I expect all of you wishing to continue to get and 'outstanding.' But we have another year before that happy farewell," he looked at Harry as he said this, and Harry merely looked back, amused. "So without any further ado," he waved his wand at the board, and instructions instantly popped up.
Harry smiled. Harry had made this same potion over the summer. The Draught of Peace. Snape continued, "Today we will be mixing a potion that often comes up at O.W.L.—Potter what are you grinning at?" For he had just seen Harry smiling at the board. Snape's lip curled into a sneer. "Would you care to tell us what this is then?"
"Sure, Professor. This potion is the Draught of Peace, a potion to calm anxiety and soothe agitation. Be warned: If we are too heavy-handed with the ingredients you will put the drinker into a heavy and sometimes irreversible sleep, so we need to play close attention to what we are doing." On Harry's left Hermione tore her admiring gaze off Harry and sat up straighter in her chair.
Snape's sneer had turned into a disfigured face of surprise and loathing. Harry asked, "Right, Professor?"
Snape cleared his throat, "Potter is, somehow, correct. Get to work."
As the students got up to get the ingredients, Ron whispered into Harry's ear, "That was brilliant, mate. He shut up in a hurry, didn't he?"
Hermione then commented, "Any other teacher would've given fifteen points for that."
Harry just smiled and went to work. During a point in time where he could relax for a few minutes, Harry got out his homework from Binns and finished it over the next hour and a half during sporadic breaks in the mixing.
"A light silver vapor should be rising from your potions," called Snape, with ten minutes left to go.
Harry glanced up from his finished essay and saw the vapor, rising perfectly from his cauldron.
Snape walked in between the students, checking their potions. He stopped at Harry's with the same surprised and loathing expression on his face. Harry raised his eyebrows at the oversized bat.
"Five points at for your attitude Potter." Then he waited for Harry's retort, which always came. It didn't. Harry made sure to hold his tongue until after class. He was rewarded by making Snape angrier as he turned with his robes flipping behind him.
"Fill one flagon of your potion and place it on my desk marked."
"Oh that was brilliant again, Harry. You made him so angry it was great." Ron had just finished telling the story for Ginny.
"So, Gin," Harry started. "How was DADA?"
"Awful. I got detention for a week."
"What? Why?"
"Well, she told the class we weren't going to do any wandwork the entire year, and we got into a huge argument and I ended up telling her she was a git and you weren't a liar and she should go to—"
Harry stopped her by placing his lips gently against hers. Ron immediately looked away, disgusted. Harry pulled back. "That's sweet, Gin, but you don't have to get in trouble for me."
"It's no big deal. I'm just mad I won't get to spend any time with you this week as a result."
Harry smiled again. Hermione, however, asked, "No wandwork?"
Ginny shook her head, angry again as the memory came back to her.
"Just get as much work done now, so we will have time together."
"I've already finished what I do have." The bell rang, and Harry had to race with Ron and Hermione to make it to Umbridge's room.
To say that the class tested Harry's emotions would be a vast understatement. He was fit to burst out laughing anytime now. The class was arguing over the importance of learning how to defend oneself. Harry didn't understand how stupid people could be. Fudge and Umbridge. If you said their last name initials one after the other it made sense.
After fitting to burst from laughter, Harry felt pity. He could laugh, because he wouldn't learn much more than he already knew from fifth year schooling, but the others had no where near the amount of skill he had. He realized something had to be done about this.
Next, he was angry. Hermione had brought up the fact that even if Voldemort wasn't back, many of his old Death Eaters had escaped. Umbridge clearly stated that she was a silly, little girl and the discussion was at its end. "Now open up your copy of Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard."
Hermione silently opened her copy, and Ron, fuming, opened his as well. Harry had already read the book, the moment Mrs. Weasley brought it back from Diagon Ally, he had read all of the books. It was quite boring reading, but he was thankful for it now.
"Mr. Potter, you've been oddly quiet. Why are you not reading?"
"Oh, I already finished the book."
Umbridge smiled awfully, apparently happy about something. "Really?"
"Would I lie?" Harry asked coolly.
"Well, you have been known to…" she replied in a sickly sweet voice.
Harry shut his eyes and counted to ten before Umbridge interrupted him. "What is on Chapter fifteen then?"
Harry stared at her, feeling bored. "Wilbert discusses how counter jinxes are really just jinxes."
Umbridge seemed to be fighting being impressed. Harry continued, "He says that they really have no difference, but that we give them different names so we can classify and feel more superior when we use a counter jinx. The tilting of the wand and more complex incantation that make a counter jin—"
"Ok, I get it! Quit interrupting the class reading!"
Harry smiled and got out his parchment and did his Potions homework.
Ginny laughed as they ate lunch. She enjoyed Harry putting the toad in her place. "Oh," she said, "I didn't tell you the best part. So she sent me to McGonagall to tell her how I had been acting. When I got to her office, she offered me a biscuit!"
"What?" Ron asked.
"Yeah. Then she gave me a lecture on how we need to lay low, and don't let the ministry catch wind of anything they could find excuse to alter. Then when I refused another biscuit she told me to not be silly, and sent me out with another biscuit."
Harry managed to gasp out, between breaths, "Nice. I used to think Dumbledore was the strangest, but I think I have him figured out, so now it's time to see what makes McGonagall tic."
"Studying other girls, huh, Potter?" Ginny said, faking hurt.
"Well, you know me. I can't get enough," he said with a shrug, earning him a smack on the arm. "Just kidding, Gin. You know I—"
He had almost said it. He wanted to say it. He had never said it before. It had never been said to him before, at least not that he could remember. You know I love you.
Luckily, all of these thoughts had swum through his head in a matter of milliseconds, and he was able to finish, without much hesitation, "only have eyes for you."
Ginny smiled at him and went back to eating her lunch.
Ron went to Divination; Hermione and Harry went to Arithmancy. Hermione had talked to Harry about Arithmancy all over summer since he mentioned he would be taking it instead. He was actually a little ahead of Hermione excluding the stuff that had been introduced in the last thousand years. Luckily for Harry, it was just the basics taught in third and fourth year, which meant he didn't miss much modern knowledge.
The class went exceptionally well, and Harry enjoyed the smaller amount of students taking the class. Hermione felt glad she once again knew more, but Harry pointed out that he had used it before, in helping make Remus a potion. "Maybe, if we get time, Hermione, we could find a cure to Lycanthropy," he said as they went through the portrait
Hermione perked up. "That is one of my thoughts of what I want to do for my career!"
Harry raised his eyebrows, "Find the cure for the transformation of man to wolf?"
"No!" she said exasperatedly, laughing. "I might want to be an alchemist, or a spell creator, or something."
By this time, they had reached where Ron and Ginny were sitting. "What do you want to do, Ron?"
Ron looked up at Hermione. "I don't know…although," he all but whispered. "It would be cool…to be an…Auror."
Harry agreed. "Yea, it would."
Ron hastily added, "But they're like…the elite, ya know?"
Ginny broke in, for the first time. "Harry, do you really think you want to be an Auror after," she quieted, "all this is over. Won't you be tired, I mean, of fight the dark?"
Harry thought for a moment. It was him, being an Auror. It was his personality. He knew it was a little weird, but he liked being there to help people. He finally answered, "yea...I might be tired of it, but…it's just who I am. I can't think of anything else."
Hermione suddenly got angry about something, and she dragged Ron off to take care of something. "It looks like she noticed their notice on the board for recruiting testers," Harry said, laughing. "Hey, Gin, what do you want to be?"
"Oh, well…I haven't thought about it much. I know, that eventually…I…"
"What?" Harry really wanted to know…he could see himself with her after all.
"I would like to have a job…but I think, eventually, I'd like to just be a mum. I love being in a big family, even if it is crowded, and sometimes not fun…and I know it would be a whole lot worse without Mum home all the time."
Harry smiled. "Yea," he spoke more to himself than Ginny. "A big family would be great."
"Oh, Merlin…I've got to go to Umbridge after Dinner."
"We have a while before then, you know?"
Emerging from a broom closet on the third floor, the happy couple made their way down to dinner, and ate happily before went to do her detention with Umbridge.
Harry finished up his Arithmancy homework, listened to Ron complain about Trelawney and then bicker with Hermione before the two went up to bed.
It was late, no one was left inn the Common Room, when Ginny returned. She was angry, and absently rubbing her right hand.
"Hey Gin," it startled her; she hadn't seen Harry sitting by the fire. "What'd she make you do?"
"Oh…just lines."
"What's wrong with your hand?"
"What? Nothing," She said too quickly. Harry just raised his eyebrows. "She…had me use…a blood quill."
Harry's eyes darkened, and he transformed into his phoenix form, disappeared in a mix of flame.