Chapter 36
Meredith slowly opened her eyes. She felt an amazing sense of calm and peace as she realized that she had nothing she needed to do. No more OWLS to study for. With a smile she rolled over and snuggled deeper into her pillows. She could sleep in. There was no need to rush to the library to get a good table, no need to look over her notes or practice wand movements, or cram any more information into her head.
"AAAGH!" Meredith shot straight up in bed at the scream that was heard from the bed next to her. Throwing back her blankets she hurried to Patricia's bed and yanked back the curtain.
"Patricia!" Meredith shouted at her friend. "What in the world are you screaming about!"
"You'd scream too if you woke up from a dream about Pierre LaRou, Chaser for the Blasters and saw THAT staring at you!" Meredith looked down at the blankets. Trevor the toad stared back at her. Meredith laughed.
"Trevor," she said picking him up. "How did you get up here?"
"I don't care how he got up, just get him out of my bed," Patricia said, grumpily. Meredith laughed again.
"Come on Trevor," she said. "Let's go find Neville." She tucked him under her arm and headed downstairs. The common room was deserted for once but Meredith thought she heard a soft whimpering coming from behind a chair. Upon closer look she saw a pair of bare feet sticking out.
"Neville!" she cried out. The boy was laying flat on his back, his arms locked to his sides and his expression panicked.
"What happened to him?" Patricia who had just joined her asked. Meredith knelt down beside Neville.
"It looks like the full body bind," she said after an unsuccessful attempt to move Neville's arms and legs. Meredith pulled her wand from inside her bathrobe.
"Finite Incantatem," she said firmly. Neville gasped as his arms and legs were freed from the hex.
"Thanks," he said slowly getting to his feet.
"Who did this to you Neville?" Meredith asked. Neville looked uncomfortable.
"Tell me Neville," Meredith said firmly. Neville mumbled something.
"What?"
"Hermione Granger," Neville said. Meredith was surprised. Hermione deliberately attack someone?
"She was with Harry and Ron," Neville said. "They were up to something. I tried to stop them…oh…I need to go." Neville dashed off. Meredith turned to Patricia who looked as surprised as her.
"What could Ron, Hermione, and Harry be doing last night?"
"Probably losing Gryffindor even more house points," Patricia said in disgust.
"Or saving the school from You Know Who!" The girls turned and saw Fred and George enter the common room.
"What are you two talking about?" Meredith said.
"Havent' you heard?" Fred said. "It's all over the school!"
"We just got up," Patricia said.
"Well," George said plopping onto the sofa. "The word is that last night Harry Potter stopped You Know Who from stealing a very powerful stone that Dumbledore was hiding here at Hogwarts."
"How could You Know Who be here at Hogwarts?" Patricia asked.
"He's been here all year!" Fred said. "Possessing Professor Quirrell. That's why his turban always smelt funny."
"What happened to Quirrell?" Meredith asked.
"Snuffed it," George said. "Wondered how we'd lose him."
"George!"
"Anyhoo," Fred said. "Quirrell was after this stone, supposedly it makes some kind of elixir that makes you live forever."
"Wait a minute," Meredith said. "You're talking about the Sorceror's Stone?"
"The what?" Patricia said. "Meredith you know not all of us read those thick boring volumes that you do."
"For your information, I read about it on the back of Dumbledore's chocolate frog card."
"ANYWAY," Fred said loudly not wanting to be interrupted during a thrilling tale.
"Harry, Ron and Hermione figure out what You Know Who's up to and they go to stop him. Now of course the stone's guarded by all kinds of spells and enchantments but they make it through. Well Harry did. Ron got knocked out by McGonagall's giant chess set. He's all right. Madam Pomfrey released him this morning. Poor Harry took the brunt of it. Actually faced You Know Who head on. He's in the hospital wing, unconscious."
"What happened to You Know Who," Patricia asked.
"Gone," George said. "For good I hope, but Dumbledore disagrees. Now if you'll excuse us ladies we're off to find a get well present for Potter."
"I think a Hogwarts toilet seat would be just the thing," Fred said. Meredith and Patricia sat in stunned silence.
"Do you think it's all true?" Patricia asked.
"I don't know," Meredith said. "But I'll say this. I think we can expect a lot from the Boy Who Lived in years to come."
In the next few days the halls were filled with stories of the Boy Who Lived. Many of those who only days ago wouldn't speak to Harry now hailed him as a hero. The end of term feast finally came. There was a general feeling of gloom at the Gryffindor table for once again the Great Hall was decked out in silver and green.
"Another year gone," Dumbledore's voice boomed over the noisly room. "And I believe the House Cup needs to be awarded. The points stand as such. In fourth place, Gryffindor with three hundred and twelve points." The Gryffindors muttered and grumbled amongst themselves.
"In third place, Hufflepuff with three hundred and fifty two points. In second place, Ravenclaw with four hundred twenty six points. And in first place with 472 points, Slytherin." Over at the Slytherin table Flint and his cronies led the chants and cheers. Meredith glared as Flint sent a mocking look their way.
"Yes, yes well done Slytherin," Dumbledore said. "However recent events must be taken into account." Every suddenly was quiet. What did Dumbledore mean?
"I have a few last minute points to award. First to Mr. Ronald Weasley…" All the Gryffindors turned to stare at Ron whose face went as red as his hair.
"For the best played game of chess in many years, I award fifty points to Gryffindor." Even over the deafening cheers of the Gryffindors Meredith could hear Percy bragging about his youngest brother.
"My brother you know! Got past McGonagall's chest set." Meredith couldn't help but be amused as only a week ago Percy had claimed Ron was left on the doorstep of the Burrow in a wicker basket and his parents took him in out of the goodness of their hearts.
"Second," Dumbledore said when the cheering died down. "To Miss Hermione Granger. For the use of cool logic under fire I award fifty points to Gryffindor." Hermione's face was buried in her arms as the Gryffindors cheered at being a hundred points up.
"Third to Mr. Harry Potter…" The room went dead quiet. "For pure nerve and outstanding courage. I award sixty points to Gryffindor."
"We're tied!" Percy cried. "We're tied with Slytherin." Meredith was practically bouncing in her seat. If only Dumbledore had given them just one more point those smug snooty smirks on the Slytherins faces would be smack right off.
"Lastly," Dumbledore said. Everyone waited anxiously. "It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies. But it takes even more courage to stand up to your friends." Meredith glanced over at the Hufflepuff table. Cedric Diggory met her eyes and blushed. "Therefore, I award ten points to Neville Longbottom." The Gryffindors went crazy! After seven years Gryffindor had finally beaten Slytherin! Neville, who had never earned a single point for his house looked stunned. Meredith's ears rang as all her fellow Gryffindors celebrated their victory. Everyone was hugging and jumping up and down and she could not help but join in. She and Patricia hugged even as they bounced up and down. Unable to contain herself Patricia leaned over and kissed Neville on the cheek. Neville was so stunned he looked as though he had been petrified.
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Remus glanced at his watch again. The Hogwarts Express was due to Kings Cross station any minute. He was most anxious to see Meredith and make sure she was all right. He hadn't slept a wink since receiving Dumbledore's letter about Voldemort being at Hogwarts. He had put all the old Order members on alert. He'd been most proud when he read about Harry facing the Dark Lord. He was definitely James's son. He smiled as he saw the familiar red hair.
"Dad!" she called running up to him. She looked much better than she had at Christmas. Less tired and not nearly as pale. Still far too thin though. He folded her into a warm hug.
"You look well love," he said. "Are you all right?"
"Of course," Meredith said smiling. "I told you I was in my last letter."
"I've been so worried ever since I received Dumbledore's letter. Voldemort…"
"I know," Meredith said looking uneasy. "But he's gone now. Thanks to Harry he didn't get what he was after." Meredith turned and her gaze fell on someone in the distance. Remus followed her eyes and they landed on an eleven year old boy with messy brown hair, bright green eyes, and a lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead. Remus's heart jumped in his chest. Except for the eyes, Harry was the spitting image of James. A large red faced man and a skinny woman were speaking to the boy. These must be the Dursley's Remus thought with disdain. They did not look happy to see their nephew and from the look on Harry's face the feeling was entirely mutual.
"Dad?" Meredith said. He turned away from Harry and focused on his daughter.
"Shall we go home?" Meredith asked. With a sigh Remus glanced back and saw Harry following glumly behind his guardians.
"Yes," Remus said. "Let's go home."
Four weeks into summer vacation Meredith and her father sat at the breakfast table together. Ever since she came home her dad had been forcing food on her. She'd lost weight throughout the school year and most of her clothes were loose and baggy on her.
"Have some more sausage," her father said shoving a plate at her.
"Dad," Meredith whined. "If I eat one more thing I'm going to explode."
"Your robes look like you're wearing a tent and your jeans are falling down."
"Maybe I like being skinny," Meredith pouted. Remus rolled his eyes.
"You can worry about your girlish figure later," he said. "Right now I want you to eat." Meredith rolled her eyes.
"Between you and Mrs. Weasley I'm going to be as big as a mountain troll by the time school starts again." The last time she'd been at the Burrow Mrs. Weasley wouldn't let her leave until she'd eaten enough to feed ten people. She'd practically waddled home.
"I'm aware," her dad said. " I ran into Molly in Diagon Alley last week. She accused me of starving you." Meredith rolled her eyes. Any further discussion was halted by the tapping of an owl at the window.
"Looks like a Hogwarts Owl," Remus said opening the window. Meredith didn't say anything. Her heart was leaping in her chest. Usually she didn't get her Hogwarts letter till her birthday, which wasn't for a few weeks. These had to be her OWL results. Her hand shook as she took the letter her father handed to her. She stared at it for a long time. In this envelope held the marks that would determine her future.
"Well," her father said. "Are you going to open it?"
"I cant," she said setting it down. Her dad laughed and snatched up the letter. Meredith held her breath as her dad opened the letter and read the results.
"Tut, tut," Remus said. "You got a P in History of Magic." Meredith nodded. She hadn't expected to do well in History of Magic.
"Acceptable in Astronomy," Remus nodded. Meredith impatiently tapped her fingers. Astronomy and History of Magic didn't matter. She didn't need NEWTs in those subject to be accepted at St Mungoes.
"Exceeds Expectations in Care of Magical Creatures, Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, and Transfiguration." Meredith relaxed a bit. McGonagall would accept her into her NEWT class with Exceeds Expectations.
"Outstanding," Meredith sucked in her breath. "Charms, Herbology, Defense Against the Dark Arts and….Potions." Meredith let out a breath. She'd done well! An O in potions!
"I'm so proud of you love," he said handing her the results. She took the results and stared at them in wonder.
"Oh don't look so shocked," he said. Meredith smiled. She had done well. She would be able to take all the NEWT courses she needed to get into St. Mungoes.
"Meredith!" The door banged open and Oliver and Patricia ran in each holding their own results.
"You got yours too," Oliver said. "Here switch." He grabbed her results and handed her his own. Oliver's results weren't much different than her own with one exception. She had scored higher than him in Defense Against the Dark Arts.
"How'd you do?" she asked Patricia. From the expression on her friend's face Meredith got the feeling that Patricia's results were not what her parents had wanted. Wordlessly, Patricia handed them over. As Meredith expected Patricia had only received an Acceptable for Transfiguration and Ancient Runes. But Patricia hadn't done bad.
"You did quite well," Meredith said. "Exceeds Expectations in Herbology, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Care of Magical. And you got an O in potions!"
"Yeah," Patricia said glumly. "Mum and Dad said to tell you thanks." Meredith felt bad for Patricia. She knew how hard her friend had worked. She had never liked Patricia's parents much. They never gave their daughter any positive reinforcement.
"Well looks like you outdid all of us at Defense Against the Dark Arts," Oliver said. "No surprise there really."
"All of us?" Meredith said. "What about Percy?" Oliver laughed and even Patricia cracked a smile.
"His only E," Patricia said. "He's actually disappointed."
"Very well done all of you," Remus said joining them.
"Thank you sir," Patricia said. They gathered round the kitchen table discussing the classes they'd be taking next year.
"NEWT level course work is going to be twice as hard," Oliver said. "Thank goodness we'll be able to drop some courses."
"Even so," Meredith said. "We'll still have a full schedule."
"Mine won't be so full," Patricia said. "I don't have the marks to continue with Transfiguration or Ancient Runes. At least you won't have to tutor me anymore."
"Actually," Meredith said. "I'm thinking of dropping Ancient Runes."
"What?" Oliver said. "But you got an E."
"It's not required for healing," Meredith said. "My schedule is gonna be packed as it is, and like you said it's gonna be twice as much work. I can't take another year like last year. I need to sleep sometime."
"Well," Oliver said. "Poor Percy is gonna have to fend for himself in Ancient Runes."
"You're not taking it either?" Meredith asked.
"Don't really care for the subject. And I'm gonna need the spare time for Quidditch. That trophy is gonna be ours dammit." Oliver was still sore about losing the cup to Ravenclaw last year. After his ordeal with Voldemort Harry had been in the hospital wing for two weeks and had been unable to play in the final Quidditch match. Without their Seeker Gryffindor had been forced to forfeit to Ravenclaw.
"Percy won't be alone," Patricia said. "He'll have Penelope to keep him company."
"Yes how is dear Penny?" Meredith said. Oliver and Patricia laughed.
"Percy's been writing to her all summer," Patricia informed Meredith.
"Yes," Oliver said. "But there's someone who hasn't been."
"Who?"
"Harry Potter. According to Ron, Harry hasn't answered any of his letters." Out of the corner of her eye Meredith saw her father pause in what he was doing. Meredith had a feeling he was very interested in what Oliver had to say about Harry.
"Mr. and Mrs. Weasley are very concerned," Patricia said. "Ron said Hermione hasn't had any word from him either."
"I think Fred and George are planning something," Oliver said.
"Fred and George are always planning something," Meredith scoffed.
Now that they had their book lists, a trip to Diagon Alley was called for.
"Blimey, look at the books for Defense Against the Dark Arts," Oliver said. "All by Gilderoy Lockhart." Meredith wrinkled her nose. She had read a few books by Lockhart and frankly she thought the man was a total buffoon.
"Lord, these books are gonna cost a fortune," Patricia moaned. Meredith didn't say anything for her father was standing within earshot. Money was a touchy issue with her father who'd had a tough time keeping a job as of late. No one was willing to hire him because he couldn't explain why he could not work certain evenings, namely the evening of the full moon and those few days before and after. They were hardly destitute. The money Meredith had inherited from her mother was more than enough to take care of both of them, but Meredith knew her dad hated having to use it.
"The three of you will be going to Diagon Alley today then?" her dad asked her. Meredith bit her lip. She'd never gone to Diagon Alley without her dad before.
"Do you mind?" she asked.
"Of course not. You're old enough to go without me. I think I can trust you not to get into trouble." Meredith grinned.
"Thanks Dad." They picked up their book lists and stood in front of the fireplace.
"Diagon Alley!" Meredith said firmly dropping her floo powder. She tumbled out of a fire place into the Leaky Cauldron. Once her friends had joined her they headed to Gringotts. Once they had retrieved enough gold to take care of their books and supplies they headed to Flourish and Blotts. The window display was filled with Gilderoy Lockhart's newest book, Magical Me along with a large portrait of the author himself.
"He's very handsome," Patricia observed. Meredith rolled her eyes.
A few days before they were due to go back to school Meredith and Patricia were seated in the living room. Meredith sat on the floor while Patricia sat behind her braiding her hair. Remus sat in the big chair by the window, reading. There was a fire in the fireplace for it was cold and rainy outside. The quiet of the afternoon was interrupted when a soaking wet and frazzled looking Percy burst in the door. The three people in the living room raised their eyebrows.
"I had to get out!" Percy shouted by way of explanation. "I live in a mad house I tell you!"
"What'd Fred and George do this time?" Meredith asked standing up to take Percy's wet jacket.
"Oh, it's not just them. Now they've got Ron and Harry to help out!"
"Harry?" Remus interjected. "Harry's at your house?"
"Oh, yes," Percy said in exasperation. "Ron got worried when Harry didn't answer his letters. So my brilliant brothers decided to take the car, you know the one Dad's always tinkering with, and FLY to Surrey to get him."
"The Ford Anglia?" Patricia asked. "It actually flew?"
"Mum was livid," Percy nodded. "I don't know who she's more upset with Fred and George for driving it or Dad for bewitching the thing in the first place. And then yesterday when we were at Flourish and Blotts Dad starts a fist fight with Lucius Malfoy."
"Your dad in a fist fight?" Meredith said in disbelief. Mr. Weasley was one of the most even tempered men she'd ever met.
"Malfoy totally provoked him. He's just mad that Dad'd department raided Malfoy Manor in search of Dark Objects. But Mum was mortified that the whole brawl happened in front of Gilderoy Lockhart."
"Gilderoy Lockhart was at Flourish and Blotts?" Patricia gasped.
"Yep," Percy said. "Autographing copies of his books."
"Oh, if we'd only waited we could have got autographed copies," Patricia pouted. Meredith rolled her eyes.
"Oh you'll have another chance to get it," Percy said knowingly. "Guess who's going to be our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor?"
"You have got to be kidding me!" Meredith cried. Patricia squealed with glee and Meredith groaned.
"Don't worry love," Remus said patting her shoulder. "You'll only have to put up with him for one year. Defense Against the Dark Arts Teachers never last longer than that."