Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of it's characters, plots, or settings. Have I really been reduced to the point where my disclaimers aren't even funny?

Chapter Eight

"There you two are! I knew they would drag you into it somehow," said Hermione, looking over the top of the Sunday Prophet at him.

They were in the Hospital wing. Harry was sitting on the end of Ron's bed and Alaina sat in a chair next to Neville, whose nose had mended quickly. Ginny, whose ankle was healed likewise lay curled up at the foot of Hermione's bed. On Neville's other side was Luna who was busy reading the quibbler upside down.

"They're the "Pair Who Lived" again now, aren't they?" interjected Ron darkly. "Not much of two showing off teenagers anymore, eh?"

He helped himself to a handful of chocolate frogs. There were still deep welts on his arms from the brains' tentacles.

"Yes, they're very complimentary about you now," said Hermione scanning the rest of the article, "'Voices of truth who stick together… perceived as unbalanced, yet never wavered in their stories… forced to bear ridicule and slander…' Hmm… They don't mention that they were the one's doing the ridiculing and slandering, though," Hermione finished her thought with a frown. She winced slightly and put her hand to her ribs. The curse Dolohov had used on her, though less effective than it would have been had he been able to say the incanation aloud, had nevertheless caused, in Madam Pomfrey's words, "quite enough damage to be going on with." Hermione was having to take ten different potions a day.

"'You-Know-Who's Last Attempt to Take Over, pages two to four, What the Ministry Should Have Told Us, page 5, Why Nobody Listened to Albus Dumbledore, pages six to eight, Exclusive Interview with Harry Potter and Alaina Prince, page nine…' Well," said Hermione, folding up the newspaper and throwing it aside, "It's certainly given them lots to write about. And that interview isn't exclusive. It's the one that was in The Quibbler months ago…."

"Well, what else is going on in Hogwarts," Ron asked eager for more information about what was going on outside the hospital wing.

"Flitwick's got rid of Fred and George's swamp," said Alaina.

"He did it in about three seconds. But he left a tiny patch under the window and roped it off," explained Ginny.

"Yeah, he says it was a really good bit of magic," Alaina said shrugging.

"It must be a monument," Ron nodded, "They sent me all of these, you know," he motioned to the chocolate frogs, "Must be doing alright with their jokeshop, eh?"

Alaina smiled knowingly at Harry who smiled sheepishly back.

"So everything is alright now that Dumbledore is back?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, and Filch is not happy about it," Neville explained then dropped his voice to a whisper, "He says Umbridge was the best thing to ever happen to Hogwarts…."

All seven them brought their gaze to the bed across the room. Umbridge was lying down with her gaze to the ceiling.

"Madam Pomfrey says she's in shock," whispered Hermione.

"She shows signs of life, though if you do this," said Ron and with his tongue he made soft clip-clopping noises. Umbridge sat bolt upright and looked wildly around.

"I wonder who they're going to let teach divination," Alaina thought aloud. She didn't like the subject much and was not planning on taking it again. But Firenze couldn't go back to the forest and Dumbledore treasured Trelawny too much.

"I don't think it's a load of rubbish anymore," Ron said, "Not that we know there are real prophecies and such."

Alaina and Harry exchanged grimaces. They had not yet told the others about what Dumbledore had said and neither of them looked forward to being the one to repeat it.

"Pity it broke," Hermione said softly and Alaina stood up abruptly.

"Where are you going?" Ron looked surprised.

"Er- Hagrids," said Alaina, "he just got back and I figured he wanted to know how you were."

Harry stood up as well, "I'll go with her!"

Together they briskly walked out of the hospital wing. The castle seemed very quiet for a Sunday. Everybody was out in the grounds enjoying the sun and the end of exams. Out the windows they could people flying in the quidditch pitch and some even swimming the lake with the giant squid.

They had reached the entrance hall when Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy emerged from a door that they knew led from the common room. Harry stopped dead and Alaina crashed into him as she was lagging behind to look out a window. The others stopped as well and for few moments they just stared at each other.

"Your dead, Potter," Malfoy growled.

"Funny," Alaina said, "You'd of thought he'd have stopped walking around."

Pansy sneered and said, "Isn't this cute. She's trying to defend her little boyfriend."

Alaina blushed, but before she could retort Malfoy said, "You are both going to pay," his voice was barely louder than a whisper, "I'm going to make you pay for what you've done to our fathers."

"Well, now I'm scared," Harry rolled his eyes, " I s'pose Lord Voldemort was just a warm-up act compared to you three. What's the matter?" he said, for they all looked stricken at the name, "He's your dad's mate isn't he? Not scared of him, are you?"

"You think you are such a big man, Potter," Malfoy sneered.

"Oh, maybe because he is?" Alaina joined in once more, "You scared 'cause you don't think you can take on the Boy Who Lived?"

"You wait. I'll have you both. You can't land my father in prison-"

"Oho! I thought we just did?" Alaina interrupted Malfoy.

"The dementors have left Azkaban. Dad and the others'll be out in no time…"

"Yeah, I expect they will. Still, at least everyone will know what scumbags they are now."

Following Alaina's brief speech Harry drew his wand and Malfoy micked the motion. But before spells could fly-

"Potter! Prince!"

Snape had emerged from the staircase and at the sight of him Harry and Alaina felt more than hatred towards Malfoy.

"What are you doing, Potter?" said Snape coldly as ever, as he strode towards the six of them.

"I'm trying to decide which curse to use on Malfoy, sir," said Harry fiercly and Alaina had to place a hand over her mouth to refrain from laughing. Snape stared at them.

"Ten points each. Taken for your wand and cheek, Mr. Potter, and for encouraging him, Ms. Prince."

Snape looked towards the giant hourglasses on the walls and gave a sneering smile.

"Ah, I see there are no longer any points to take from Gryffindor. In that case we will have to-"

"Add some more?" Professor McGonagall walked in from the front doors. She was carrying a tartan carpetbag in one hand and leaning on a walking stick with her other.

"Professor McGonagall! Out of St. Mungo's, I see!" Snape greeted her.

"Indeed," she said, shrugging of her traveling cloak. "You tow – Crabbe- Goyle- take these to my office." She handed them the cloak and carpetbag and watched as they strode away.

"Right then, fifty points apiece to Potter and his friends for alerting the world about You-Know-Who's return! Let's see that would be fifty each for Potter, Prince, the two Weasleys, Longbottom, and Miss Granger," they watched as a shower of rubies fell into the bottom bulb of Gryffindor's hourglass, "And fifty for Miss Lovegood, too."

A number of sapphires flowed into Ravenclaw's glass.

"And twenty from Gryffindor correct, Professor Snape?"

A few rubies flew back up into the top part.

"Well, Prince, Potter, Malfoy, I think you should all head outside on a glorious day like this."

They all immediately headed outside and smiled at each other as they strode down to Hagrid's for the last time that term.

Yeah, I know book five was only two chapters, but… Now we can get to the sixth book faster, right? Yeah!

Hagrid: I don' get ter be in this chapter?

Harry: Nah, it was getting too long.

Me: What he said!

Also, I need your guys' help to find a good name for Harry and Alaina. Pair who lived doesn't work for me. I know I'm going to use the Chosen Duo in book six, but if you have anymore good ones let me know!