Harry Potter and the Order of the Chronic
A Roaring Lion Hat…
I don't own any of the characters, all JKR, no profit to be made.
XxX
Time passed at Hogwarts and eventually things turned into the normal flow at the school. Cormac returned from the hospital wing full of vigor and energy, though he seemed somewhat reluctant to trust any bets made by Harry or the Twins.
Malfoy was once again attempting to taunt and goad Harry, but he fell silent every time because McLaggen was around and Malfoy apparently did not want a repeat of train ride on the Hogwarts Express.
Halloween came and went and Harry couldn't even bring himself to go into costume. It just didn't feel right to him… Goose and Maverick just reminded him of Cedric.
Still life went on at the school. Harry scraped by with sub par grades, except of course in Defense Against the Dark Arts, which he seemed to be excelling at. Of course Umbridge kept him close in her very exclusive list of favorite students.
Hermione, Ron, and often many other students disappeared for hours at a time. All except Cho Chang who seemed to follow Harry around like a lost puppy constantly questioning him about their relationship status. Harry would just sigh and call her a nutter, and she would respond with a laugh and tell him to quit joking.
Harry tried to be more concern about his friends, but between school, Angelina's constant quidditch practices, and his need to play video games he could barely find the time to reconcile with Hermione or anyone else that was put out by his current attitude and there were plenty of people who were not happy with Harry's current political stances.
Though, Hermione was not friendly with Harry at the moment she did keep up with her research on the 'so called prophecy' made about Harry and had come up empty handed from all the reading she had done. Apparently the Mystery Machine had sprung a flat.
Even Neville was giving Harry the cold shoulder these days. Mumbling about how the "Prophet was going down hill." Harry didn't concern himself with such drivel. As far as he was concerned if Rita was reporting it, then his publicist clearly had to be in the right… right?
Worse thing of all to Harry was the fact that Fudge had not done one thing to update the Hogwarts to the modern age. Harry was now beginning to question his confidence in the man. Instead of results, all Harry received were more decrees giving Umbridge more power. The decrees were backing everyone into a corner, except Harry who seemed to be able to go in and out of Umbridge's system unscathed.
This gave Harry one important detail. You can do a hell of a lot more damage in the system than outside of it.
Till then Harry would have to make due with the current routine he was in.
XxX
"Wake up Harry!" Ginny shouted about to smack him hard in the face, but Harry caught her arm as he laid on the sofa, in his trunk, a controller in his free hand.
"I'm not dead and I'm pretty tired of you smacking the piss out of me Ginny." Harry said releasing Ginny's arm, which she pulled toward herself and rubbed in a self-conscience manner.
Ginny's face brightened red, but soon turned a deep sort of crimson. "Well if you are alive then why the hell aren't you up in the Great Hall or the Quidditch pitch?"
"What are you going on about Ginny?" Harry muttered dropping the controller from his lap to floor in an uncaring manner.
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Because Angelina is about to freak out! Today is the first Quidditch match versus Slytherin!"
Harry's fogged brain tried to work through what was just said…
"Oh fuck! I forgot!" Harry said dashing over to the boy's showers to attempt to prepare.
"One detail and you couldn't manage to work it out." Ginny muttered to herself with a shake of her head.
"I heard that Ginevra! Now bring me my bowl!"
Ginny rolled her eyes as the use of her real name and held a towel out into the boy's showers, which Harry grabbed and dried off. He came out towel wrapped around his waist, hair still wet, and a joint hanging from his mouth.
Ginny just stared at Harry, her jaw slightly open as Harry went to his trunk to put on his quidditch uniform. He turned towards Ginny "Do you mind I'm trying to get dressed?" Harry muttered.
Ginny quickly turned to face the wall spluttering her face reddening as she listened to Harry changing almost desperately wishing to turn around and watch.
"Ginny why are you wearing a quidditch uniform by the way?" Harry asked.
Ginny nervously turned around and let out a breath of relief to see Harry had finished dressing, she didn't know what she would do if Harry were standing naked in front of her naked. Probably ravage him. Ginny thought before she spoke. "Well… Angelina doubted if you would make it to quidditch so…" Ginny trailed off muttering about being too high or drunk.
"No trust." Harry muttered shaking his head.
"No trust?" Ginny questioned waving a finger at the joint dangling from Harry's lips.
Harry pulled the joint from his lips stared at it a few moments and shrugged.
"Smoke two joints in the morning and at night… why? It makes me feel alright."
XxX
"Harry we really need to get to the pitch. The teams are forming already!" Ginny pleaded.
"Sorry Gin. Needs say to munch right now." Harry replied back with a glazed look in his eyes.
"You are hopeless Harry." Ginny answered back with a hint of intolerance in her voice.
"Harry I do hope you win today. Then after we could you know…" Cho giggled from Harry's other side.
Harry and Ginny both looked at Cho with an awkward stare and shook their heads.
"Completely insane."
"Barking mad she is."
Harry and Ginny joked all the way to Great Hall about Cho's insane behavior, even though she followed well with in hearing distance of them. Harry thought if funny until he ran into one of the most obscene things he had ever seen.
A loud roar echoed throughout the hall as soon as Harry stepped into it. The pure shock knocked Harry over.
"What the fuck?" Harry cried as Luna Lovegood peered down at him with a hat that let out roars and looked like a lion, sat upon her had.
"It's good isn't it." Luna said rather than question.
"Blimey, you are more nutty than she is." Harry said with a nod towards Cho who was giggling happily.
"I'll be supporting Gryffindor in case you wondered." Luna responded completely ignoring Harry's comment.
"You are fucking barmy… you know that?" Harry stated. Luna continued to gaze at Harry for unusually long time completely ignoring his comment as if it had never happened. Eventually Harry got up and grabbed a couple of pieces of toast and began marching out of the Great Hall muttering about how all the Ravenclaw girls were going insane.
"Ahem, Good luck today Mr. Potter."
Harry stopped and looked up to see Umbridge had spoke. She was wearing a scarf with the colors of Gryffindor. He was about to ask her about her support of the Gryffindor team, but was interrupted by a roar from Luna's hat. Umbridge marched off indignantly glaring at the Luna's hat and Harry turned to Luna. "You still here?"
"Harry… I don't suppose you know where I could get anymore of that stuff we smoked on the way in?" Luna asked.
Harry was about to say 'hell no' until he thought back to the end result of Luna getting high and unable to stop laughing. Snape only a week ago had the last bandage removed.
"Maybe." Harry answered.
XxX
"Harry are sure you are alright to play?" Angelina said sharply as her team went to the field. "Because if you aren't Ginny said she could play seeker?" Angelina said giving a wary glance at Harry.
Harry craned his neck scowling at Ginny whom was waiting by the team's entryway onto the qudditch pitch.
"I'm fine!" Harry retorted.
"I'm just saying Ginny is ready if you need… a rest." Angelina muttered trailing off.
And then the captains were called to the center to shake hands and the so-called epic quidditch match was to begin. Montague, the Slytherin captain, just about crushed Angelina's hand though she showed no sign of pain when she shook his. Harry on the other hand cringed and made a mental note of that.
Next thing Harry recalled was Madam Hooch blowing the whistle and his broom was up in the air.
XxX
The match wasn't going good for Gryffindor that was for sure. The Slytherins weren't exactly playing well. It was the fact that Ron wasn't all that good of a keeper. It didn't help much that the Slytherins were singing a completely retarded song that Ron actually seemed to care about. Harry shook his head in disgust.
Harry on the other hand was focused. It was one of those rare occurrences from when you smoke pot. You block everything out. You only become focused on the goal, the objective, and right now Harry was focused. His eyes zigged and zagged throughout the pitch only focused on the snitch.
Malfoy's taunts from Harry's side were a blur; Malfoy was targeting him rather than the snitch. Harry could barely hear Lee Jordan's commentary of the match. Last thing he heard was that the Slytherin team was up by forty points. Harry was just focused… Must Find The Snitch!
Harry turned completely focused on finding the snitch, so focused he didn't notice the black bludger approaching and …
WHAP!
XxX
Harry awakened pressed to the ground, he heard Lee Jordan's voice over the announcements shouting out the score and how, Ginny Weasley had replaced him, Harry, as seeker.
Lee began going on about some story about the Twins getting banished from quidditch, when Harry finally came to full awareness. What the hell? Angelina didn't even bother to call time out for me? Harry thought as he felt a disturbance from underneath him.
Harry rolled over, just as Lee announced that Slytherin was ahead of Gryffindor by 130 to 90. Harry then held up the rather crushed looking gold ball in his hand.
"Hey the match is over!" Harry shouted.
"I got the damn snitch right here!" Harry shouted waving the battered snitch in the air.
The crowd silenced for a few moments in complete disbelief. There was Harry out cold for half the match and he had fallen on the golden snitch.
All Harry could think was that Wood was more compassionate than Angelina, at least he called timeout when someone got hurt. 'Murderous quidditch bastards!' Harry thought.
The Cheers erupted from the stands.
Harry scowled.
XxX
Madam Pomfrey was out examining Harry muttering something about concussions, while Angelina and Montague were arguing over the match with Madam Hooch.
"He fell on the snitch! He didn't catch it!" Montague shouted.
"They shouldn't be awarded the points they earned since Harry caught the snitch much earlier in the match!" Angelina fired back.
"I think you need to stay in the hospital wing tonight." Madam Pomfrey muttered to Harry.
"Not a chance in hell!" Harry retorted. "I refuse to be in the hospital wing during anymore of my time here at this so-called school! More like a God damned death trap!" Harry shouted back harshly waving Madam Pomfrey away.
The quidditch match was complete hysteria. Students were arguing about the outcome as well as players.
In the end Angelina came marching over in a huff grunting something about the end results being the end results. No points were taken away or awarded. The end score would remain the same.
Harry didn't care at the moment his glare was focused on Angelina.
"Not even a time out to check if I was alright?" Harry questioned harshly.
Angelina ignored Harry's harshness and shrugged. "I didn't see you get hit by a bludger, I just assumed you were drunk or high and fell."
Harry shot Angelina a nasty glare. "I was not drunk Angelina."
Angelina cringed slightly. She took note that Harry didn't bother to refute the claims of being high. Still in the back of her brain it registered somehow, someway the stoned twerp still won the damn match.
XxX
The end of the first term of Hogwarts was finally here. All the students seemed joyful about it except Harry. He was seen as a spy by Hermione and her little terrorist group, known as the DA, Harry learned that from the rumor mill at Hogwarts after seeping through the usual BS or he may have just asked Ron.
Harry also was no where near learning anything more about this 'prophecy' Dumbledore claimed to exist, and now he sat aboard a carriage leading to Hogsmeade in which, he was about to meet Fleur and have Christmas with her parents.
The whole situation made him feel rather ill. Still he did rather miss Fleur and he had been planning with Cormac on a way of talking Fleur out of her family holiday to go and spend the holiday somewhere warm and pleasant. After all Harry was with Fleur who could apparate, and the recent Ministry approved Cormac whom could now apparate as well.
"Harry?" Cormac muttered.
"What's up Mick?" Harry asked glancing Cormac's way.
"Well I was wondering if you made any progress with Granger? She has been giving me nothing, but the cold shoulder." Cormac said in a rather stern manner.
Harry cringed inwardly. He had made about zero effort and zero progress on anything Hermione related.
"Uh… not really Mick. Maybe you should try a new tactic you know? Like… oh would you look at that we're here!" Harry exclaimed as their carriage rolled up to the station in Hogsmeade.
As soon as Harry stepped out of his carriage he heard a shriek of joy. The next thing he knew he was embracing Fleur in his arms. "I missed you so much Harry!" Fleur said grabbing and clawing at him, all the while giving him pecks all over his neck and face.
Other students glared as they went by muttering about how in the world Potter could have ended up with someone so hot. Then shook their heads as they remembered the Boy-Who-Lived and threw parties… and did damn near everything insanely as possible.
"Is it so much to ask that I enjoy that kind of treatment from a girl I like?" Cormac whispered into Harry's ear.
"Pipe down Mick! You lose your place in this affair. Now…" Harry said refocusing his attention on Fleur. "How are you babe? Look fantastic as ever!"
Fleur gave him a laughing smile in response. "Do you have everything? Apparation point is over there…" Fleur said waving over to a place a few feet away. "We can be at my parents in moments! Got the whole week off at Gringotts and I told my…"
"Shhhh." Harry said pressing his fingers to Fleur's lips. "Babe… I was thinking, maybe rather than visiting parents, we could…"
Harry was cut off as a voice spluttered.
"Harry! Harry!"
Harry turned to see who was interrupting his suave attempt to trick Fleur. His eyes widened as he saw Nearly Headless Nick floating toward him.
"Nick! What the hell are you doing here? You are supposed to be looking after Chaz!" Harry shouted.
Nick blinked a couple of times "I've been back for a week. You didn't respond to me at all before now."
Harry quirked his lips in question "Are you sure?"
"Yes." Nick muttered.
Harry looked back at Cormac who was nodded as well.
"Oops." Harry said with a shrug. "Well, you got my full attention now Nick. What's up?"
"Harry! Mr. Diggory has awakened from his slumber! Though I must warn…"
"What! Chaz is up and about! Why didn't you say so!" Harry shouted. "Babe! Mick! We are going to visit him of course! Agreed?"
Fleur looked a bit confused, but she knew the situation with Cedric and knew it meant a lot to Harry and nodded her head firmly. Cormac looked a bit sullen, but nodded his head muttering something about it being worth it.
"Well… err… Harryy, but I must warn you Harry… we and by that I mean Peeves and myself. May have lost him." Nick sputtered softly.
Harry looked at Nick in disbelief. "You lost him? Where the fuck did you lose him?"
"Well we aren't sure. Kind of whole point of being lost."
XxX
End Chapter