Chapter Eight:
The Great Hall took a bit of searching to find, but Kaye managed, thanks to the map. The room was relatively empty, with only a few Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws sitting at the tables. No Gryffindors or Slytherins. They were all probably getting as much sleep as they could, grateful that they had a few days before classes started.
There wasn't much to do in the Great Hall except eat and chat, so Kaye left to do some more exploring.
Her first stop was the library. It was so different from the muggle libraries back at home. The books were worn and hand-printed, but beautiful. Kaye occupied her busy mind with a few hours of reading, learning as much as she could about magic and how to use it.
Eventually, a girl named Lavender Brown came and told her to come watch the first Quidditch practice of the season. Curious, Kaye left her books and walked with Lavender up into the stands.
Practically every Gryffindor girl was there, waiting for the practice to start. Kaye spotted a girl with bushy brown hair, who beckoned for her to come and sit beside her.
"Hi, Kaye. I'm Hermione Granger," the girl said, smiling.
"Hi," Kaye replied, shyly. She had heard about this girl. According to the students, she one of the smartest in the school
"Ooh, they're starting!" one of the girls squealed and giggled.
The Gryffindor team gathered in the center of the field in a circular formation. The players talked for a few minutes, and then kicked off into the air on broomsticks, flying into their positions.
Kaye gave a little gasp and thought, 'It must feel so exhilarating, being up there…'
One girl hadn't flown up yet. She held her broomstick in her right hand. On the ground, Kaye could see a large trunk. 'It's moving…' she noticed.
The girl then kicked open the trunk, and released two large, flying balls into the air. She then released a glittery object that was almost too small to see. Finally, she threw another larger ball into the air. As soon as all of the balls were in the air, the game began.
The whole game was a chaotic, fast-paced, adrenalin-filled mess.
Hermione told Kaye what each of the ball's names were and what they do, and then pointed out a few of the players.
"That's Ginny over there, being a Chaser, trying to get the quaffle into those rings. And there's Ron being a Keeper, guarding those rings. Over there's Harr – Kaye?"
Kaye jumped out of her dazed expression and said, "Huh? Wha? Sorry, did you say something? I was just thinking about…"
"What were you thinking about?" Hermione asked, smiling.
Kaye stared at the players, swooping around on their broomsticks. "Nothing. It's just.."
She stopped, not wanting to continue.
"It's okay, I don't have to know." Hermione said, and then went back to watching the practice.
'He would love this." Kaye thought sadly.
The girls watched for a while, and then headed back into the castle.
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Classes would start the very next day. They got their schedules at lunch, in the Great Hall.
Kaye spotted Ginny on the other side of the table and went over to talk to her.
Hermione didn't even notice that Kaye had left her side. "Ron, I'm worried about Harry. He hasn't been himself lately. I don't know what's going on with him. He barely comes down to eat, let alone talk with us. Would you go fix him up for me?"
"Sure," Ron replied. He stuffed a pancake into his mouth, and then got up from the table. He knew exactly where Harry would be: moping around the dormitory, trying to pretend like nothing was wrong.
Ron ran up the long flight of stairs quickly. He had also been worrying about Harry a lot lately. What had happened to him over the summer? He wasn't his usual self on the train, and he became even stranger after the feast in the Great Hall on the first day at Hogwarts.
Ron's curiosity grew and grew as he thought these facts through. Finally, he reached the portrait of the Fat Lady. 'Skiving Snacks' he spoke to her. The portrait swung open, and Ron ran into the Gryffindor common room.
He ran up the stairs and opened the door to his dormitory. Harry was lying on his bed, facing the spot where Ron stood, his eyes hardly open.
"Harry?" Ron asked.
Harry blinked, his eyes opening a bit wider.
"…Ron?" he asked, his voice gruff and crackly.
Ron walked over to Harry's bed and pulled his arm so that he was sitting up.
"Harry, you've hardly spoken at all these past few days. C'mon, tell me what's up."
Harry shook his head.
"I …" he stopped to cough, clearing his throat, "I just don't know if I can this time, Ron. It's different, I guess."
Ron stared hard at Harry, observing his sunken-in, dull green eyes, his pale skin, and his sad expression. He had changed this summer -- for the worse.
"Harry, you're going to have to tell me what's going on. Hermione's orders, see. I'll be here all day if I have to."
Harry sighed, rolled over, and began to think.
After five minutes of silence, he rolled over and spoke.
"This summer was so much fun, Ron. I would constantly sneak out of my aunt and uncle's house, going where ever I pleased, and I didn't even care when they would scream at me for getting home so late. I didn't worry about Death Eaters or Voldemort -- I was ready for them and anything they had planned, and I still am…"
Harry hesitated, bringing back the memories he had tried so hard to forget. "And then, one day, I went to the beach…"
