Chapter 6
June found the Burrow raucous and full of life again. Ron had apologized and his behaviour was forgiven, if not forgotten. At least Harry would know someone in the same year when he started Wizard School in September. Luna still visited Ginny every chance she got. They both wrote to Hermione every other day.
Percy was worried about his Ordinary Wizarding Level exams and whether or not he'd be the fifth-year prefect. Oliver Wood was in the running for prefect as well as Quidditch Captain. All Perce could do was wait, and begin revising for his O W L exams. He spent quite a lot of time in his room locked away with his pet rat, Scabbers.
Whenever Luna would visit, she would try to spend a few minutes with the rat. Mostly she was curious about the enchantments that made him virtually glow with nargelites. Even Hedwig, the amazing owl didn't have as many golden motes orbiting her.
"I think someone put a longevity charm on Scabbers," she confided in Harry one day, "most rats only live two to three years, but he, poor dear, has been in the family for nine years."
Harry was confused, "Wouldn't that make him lucky?"
Luna shook her head, "No, that would be like you or me living to be about three-hundred years old. No one should have to live that long."
Harry shrugged, "He seems healthy enough."
"Maybe we can use the revelation charm, "ostendo sum," and figure out what his enchantment is?"
"Do you think Percy would mind?"
"Not if we bring his pet some food."
"Okay, we'll try it this weekend."
As it happened, though, it was a few more weeks before anyone gave Scabbers another thought.
)O(
That Friday Percy received a bulky envelope from Hogwarts and the villagers in Ottery Saint Catchpole could probably hear the most composed, virtually unflappable, ginger of the bunch, shrieking for joy.
"Prefect! Mum! McGonagall's made me Prefect!"
Molly Weasley was so proud of her son, all her sons really. Bill had been Head Boy and prefect. Charlie, another prefect, also captained the Gryffindor Quidditch team. And now Percy, her oldest still living at home had been singled out for that honor and responsibility.
"Well, this calls for a celebration. What would you like, dear?"
"Could I have an owl?"
"We'll have a proper party, too. I'll bet Bill will come, and Charlie too if I ask them. And the Lovegoods with little Harry."
Plans were made, owls sent out. Poor Errol was exhausted by the end of the following day, so Harry volunteered Hedwig to take the pressure off the old bird.
Charlie wanted to come and spend a few days with his family, but couldn't possibly get away 'til the first week in August. Bill was in Egypt, but could get away for a weekend the second week in August.
In the end, they decided to have a combined Percy, the newest prefect, and Ginny Weasley birthday party. When Xeno mentioned that Harry's birthday was in August too, he became part of the celebration.
This came as a relief to Xeno, who knew the Weasleys were a poor but proud clan. However, they couldn't possibly object to the Lovegood's help putting on a party that was also for the boy he had taken into his home and family.
After much wrangling, Molly agreed to let Xeno buy all the food, provided she do all the cooking. Harry was keen to help as well, and wanted to bake Ginny's cake. Ginny, of course, had to reciprocate. Happily, the Weasley's kitchen was spacious enough to accommodate all three 'chefs.'
Families and friends were all gathered in the kitchen, even though there was more room in the parlour, in the way that people always seem to congregate wherever food is being prepared, when the two oldest Weasley sons arrived by Floo. Bill first, followed closely by Charlie.
Bill, "Not William," Weasley was the tallest of the clan, so far. The twins and Ron seemed to be hurrying to catch up in that department. Smartly dressed in a muggle suit, he wore his hair long, tied back in a manner Harry had noticed among pureblood heads of families. Easygoing, handsome and obviously fit, Bill could have stepped off the cover of GQ. Molly Weasley fussed and offered to give him a right proper trim. Ginny adored her 'biggest' brother and shrieked when she saw the dragon fang earring in his left ear.
Charlie was exactly the opposite of his brother, Bill. Short and solidly built, he kept his hair close-cropped, and wore practical, durable clothing that a man could easily move in. His left forearm bore a long, thin burn scar that the apprentice dragon handler seemed inordinately proud of.
And so it was, when the second Friday in August rolled around, the Burrow was bedecked in flowers and streamers and balloons (Harry's idea), and the long kitchen table was moved out onto the lawn. Said table was actually groaning from the amount of food it had to bear.
That was okay, though.
At each end of the table was a cake, a carrot cake with cream cheese icing on one end, and a chocolate cake with white whipped egg white icing on the other. The carrot cake had ten candles and the chocolate cake had eleven.
"Make a wish!"
"Blow out the candles!"
Applause, applause!
In all, for both Harry and Ginny, it was the best birthday ever.
Arthur stood and tapped his wineglass with a fork, "Quiet down now, quiet down. Weasleys and friends, we also want to recognize my Percy, who continues the trend, set down by his older, equally illustrious brothers," applause, applause, "by earning the highly desirable position of Gryffindor House Prefect!"
More applause.
"And as a token of our esteem, may I present," pause for dramatic effect, "Hermes!"
Saying that, a barn owl flew down to land on the table in front of Percy.
The newly minted prefect, at a rare loss for words, simply said, "Thanks, Dad. Thanks, everyone." Then wiped away a tear of gratitude.
He turned to his youngest brother, pulled a grey, furry lump out of his pocket, and said, "Ron, when Charlie made prefect four years ago, he passed his familiar on to me, and now, I want you to take him, okay?"
Ron nodded, and through a mouthful of cake, muttered, "Fanks," while accepting the sleeping rat with both hands.
He set Scabbers down on the bench next to him and gave him a small piece of cake, which brought the rat out of his stupor. The rodent began to eat with the same gusto as his new master.
Harry looked sideways at Luna and whispered, "A boy and his rat…"
Luna chuckled, "They have the same table manners!"
After the birthdays / prefect celebratory lunch, the Weasleys and Lovegoods spread out blankets in the shade of a large oak tree and reminisced.
The subject of Scabbers came up.
Bill said, "It was Dad who brought Scabbers home in the first place."
"Yeah, funny thing, he was in my office, standing up on his hind legs in my chair. He didn't run off or anything, so I knew he was a tame rat, maybe someone's familiar at the ministry. So I set up a box for him to sleep in, and kept him fed and watered while I asked around. When it became clear that he didn't belong to anyone at work, I brought him home and gave him to Charlie."
Charlie picked up the story, "I had him for four years, then when I made prefect, I got my owl and passed him on to Percy."
Scabbers, belly so full of food that he was bloated, snoozed by Ron's side.
Luna asked, "Dad, how long do rats normally live?"
"Two or three years. Matter of fact, a three year old rat is like a one-hundred ten year-old muggle."
"Blimey, he's like three times that!"
Luna turned to Ron and asked, "Would you mind if we did a little revealing spell on Scabbers? I think he might have an enchantment that keeps him going after all these years."
"It won't hurt him, will it?"
"No, it just shows the nature of any enchantments. Can we?"
Bill, who knew a few revealing charms of his own offered one, "How about ostendo mihi?"
Luna nodded, "That would work for the caster, I was thinking of ostendo sum, which projects an image of the enchantment."
The curse-breaker's apprentice was impressed, "That's fairly advanced, I didn't get that one until third year. Do you want to try it or shall I?"
Xeno surreptitiously pointed to Bill. Both Luna and Harry understood, it wouldn't do for everyone to know they were already proficient with wand work.
"Oh, I wasn't going to try to cast a spell, I was hoping one of you would."
"Allow me, then." Bill said, and waved his wand over Scabbers, "Ostendo sum!"
Silver-grey mist seemed to flow from the rat, growing and coalescing into the form of a short, fat, sleeping man.
"What the…"
Bill's voice became a hoarse whisper, "Ron, very slowly, roll away from the rat. Do it now!"
Charlie had his wand drawn now, as did all the adults present, "What you recon it is, Bill?"
"First guess? I'd say he's an animagus."
"Anyone recognize him."
Molly's trembling voice whispered, "That's Peter, Peter Pettigrew!"
"But he's dead, he died a hero!"
Arthur looked grave, "Molly, sweetheart, an animagus, a man has been living under our roof, sleeping in the same room with our children. This is one for the DMLE."
Without another word Arthur Weasley stunned the man who, up to that moment, had been considered a hero in the Wizarding World.
Albus Dumbledore's problems were compounded as yet another scandal chipped away at his authority and reputation. All roads seemed to lead back to him. It was Dumbledore who had left the Boy Who Lived with his murderous relatives, after all. And Dumbledore had been Chief Warlock when Sirius Black was cast into prison without a proper investigation or a trial.
For Goddess' sake, Bellatrix Lestrange had at least been given the courtesy of a trial!
)O(
The next few days were a media circus, the headlines practically screamed,
Peter Pettigrew, Order of Merlin First Class, Posthumous, Found Alive!
Irregularities in Pettigrew's testimony necessitate veritaserum!
Pettigrew, Death Eater!
Sirius Black, Framed! Unjustly Convicted, Imprisoned!
Sirius Black Freed! Vows to fight for judicial reform!
Judicial overhaul in the wake of Pettigrew fiasco!
Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot suspended for grievous miscarriage of justice!
Dumbledore Loses Seat on ICW Following No-Confidence Vote!
Pettigrew Sentenced to Life, will occupy Black's old cell in Azkaban.
)O(
Harry and Luna wrote to Hermione Granger every other day, and managed to wangle a Floo connection to the Granger home for the remaining weeks of summer break.
When Hermione discovered she could do magic, with her wand, before school began she was thrilled.
The trio planned to be familiar with all their first year spells before first year began.
If only Luna could start this year.
Together with Xeno, they researched a solution.
Hogwarts bylaws allow for advanced placement, given certain conditions.
If Luna could complete all the class assignments at the same time Harry and Hermione did, and, at the end of the term, could submit her completed work and take the tests necessary to qualify her for second term she could be placed with Harry and Hermione.
If everything went according to plan, Luna would be a Hogwarts student by January.
The two rising first-years, and one hopeful, managed to coerce Xeno into one last shopping trip to Diagon Alley before the start of term. The Grangers agreed to a sleepover so the eager students could get to the Alley as soon as possible.
Fredrick and Helen Granger were thrilled that Hermione had made such fast friends, she had never been invited to sleep over at any classmate's house before. She'd never had friends before.
Luna and Harry were eager to tell Hermione about all the excitement over the summer, and the trio wrote out and revised their shopping lists half a dozen times before sleep finally won out.
Helen looked in on the kids because, as a parent, she knew quiet meant that, one, the children were getting into some kind of trouble or, two, they were asleep. Seeing the three all curled up like kittens in pyjamas was a 'family album' worthy memory.
She fetched her camera, took several pictures, sans flash, then, with a satisfied smile, joined her husband in bed.
Next day, as promised, they took the floo to the Leaky Cauldron, then attacked their shopping list with a vengeance.
First stop, Slug and Jiggers, Apothecary.
Luna smiled on the way in, "Oh good, it's Mister Jiggers today!"
"Luna! What have you brought us today?"
The door opened, and Jiggers looked up to greet his customer, "Good morning, Professor. Be with you in a minute, got your crates ready to go."
The tall, dark man nodded and waited patiently to one side.
"We brought extract of Athelas today, harvested the seeds at the Summer Solstice, and if you'll remember, there was a full moon this year."
Mister Jiggers whistled, "Oh my, this is amazing, look, Professor, look at the clarity!"
A tall man, dressed all in black, moved with absolute economy of motion, and spoke in low, melodious tones, "This is a first pressing, extra virgin."
Luna smiled, "I think it's better than last year's."
"Indeed," the man said, "family business?"
"No, sir, my Dad, and Harry and I enjoy potions. We find the best ingredients are often the ones we can harvest fresh for ourselves."
Mister Jiggers added, "I'd say the Lovegoods produce a good fifty to sixty percent of all their own reagents, always first quality. Xeno and his late wife, bless her, used to sell half of what they harvested to my dad."
"Do you mean I might actually have first year students who know one end of a scale from another?"
Harry brightened, "Do you teach Potions, Professor?"
The professor turned to face the boy who had spoken and nearly stumbled in shock.
That hair, exactly the her color, those eyes, exactly her eyes.
"Sir?"
"Snape, Professor Snape once you begin classes, and yes, I am the Hogwarts Potions Professor. I'm here this morning to pick up supplies for the first term. And you are?"
Harry held out his hand, "Harold Evans, sir, pleased to meet you!"
Severus took the hand, good firm grip for a first year, "Evans. Are you, by any chance, related to Lily Evans?"
"My cousin, sir."
At that point, Severus Snape wasn't sure what the gods were playing at, but he knew he was going to be watching this young man very closely. Another magical Evans, another potions prodigy.
"These are my friends, Luna Lovegood and Hermione Granger, also a first year this year."
"I look forward to seeing you all in class." Turning to Jiggers he asked, "Send the crates on to Hogwarts, won't you? I know your reagents will be the best available, as always."
He nodded, to Jiggers, then to the children who half-bowed or curtseyed in return, and seemed to flow out of the shop, black cloak billowing like great bat's wings.
"Blimey," Jiggers said, "He was downright cordial, he almost smiled, he never almost smiles, not in the ten years that I've known him."
Hermione shrugged, "He seemed nice enough to me."
The trio left the apothecary with the reagents they'd need for the coming term, not everything could be home-grown, and were accosted by a breathless Pansy Parkinson, who practically fell over in her rush to offer a courteous curtsey. She was dragging two large boys with her."
"Your Highness, Your Grace. I fear I gave you a bad first impression when we met in the tailor's shop."
Luna assumed her High Chamberlain persona, "Think not upon it, Miss?"
"Parkinson, ma'am, Pansy Parkinson, of the East Riding Parkinsons. And these are my cousins, Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe." With an aside to her unfortunate kin she hissed, "Bow you morons!"
Woodenly, the two boys bowed.
"They don't talk much, Your Highness, Your Grace."
Harry waved as if batting a gnat, "Still waters and all that. I'm sure they represent your family well."
Luna stepped up, "Highness, with your permission?"
Harry gave Luna the Royal go-ahead.
"Miss Parkinson, Misters Crabbe and Goyle. His Highness, Prince Harold will be attending Hogwarts this autumn, it is the King's wish that his heir's school experiences be as, unremarkable as possible."
Pansy looked confused, Greg and Vincent may have too, it was hard to tell. The East Riding Pug asked, "Ma'am? I don't think I understand."
"Just yesterday, word came to us from the Court of Guyana that Prince Harold's matriculation should be as a normal wizard's."
Three blank stares.
"The Prince will be incognito. Once we set foot in Hogwarts Hallowed Halls, he will cease to be Prince Harold, and will simply be known as Harry Evans, understand?"
Luna, Harry and Hermione smiled as the concept sunk in. "So you don't want people to know you're…"
Harry smiled benignly, "Exactly, can we trust you to be circumspect?"
"I offer my oath, Your Highness."
"It is enough for us that you would make that offer, Miss Parkinson. We are in your debt."
You could practically see the girls head swell with pride.
"And we would be pleased if you would simply refer to us as Harry, Hermione and Luna."
"Of course, Your, I mean, Harry."
Pansy, very pleased with herself, strutted off with Crabbe and Goyle in tow. Harry, Hermione and Luna went the other direction.
Once the trio rounded the corner they fell over each other laughing hysterically.
Hermione had to wipe tears of mirth from her eyes, "Oh, Luna, High Chamberlain, Grand Vizier and Major Domo, you are brilliant!"
Luna smirked, "If you want a secret to become general knowledge, just tell a Parkinson."
Harry chuckled, "So everyone will know who we are, but no one will admit it, oh that is brilliant!"
)O(
Harry, the Lovegoods and the Grangers met for breakfast at the Acorn on Swinton Lane, near Kings Cross, giving themselves plenty of time to reach Platform Nine and three-quarters. Xeno and Luna escorted Fredrick and Helen, Harry offered his arm to Hermione and said, "Your Grace?"
"Your Highness."
"Wow!"
Fredrick Granger, a train enthusiast from his youth, his voice filled with awe, said, "A Great Western Railway 'Hall' Class four-six-oh!" He looked puzzled, "But how can this beauty get from London to anywhere in Scotland without refueling?"
Xeno smiled and answered, "Magic."
Luna gave Harry a nice long, "I'm going to miss you!" hug, and then pulled Hermione into an equally bitter-sweet embrace.
"Remember, copies of all your lesson notes every other day."
Xeno smiled and gave Harry, Luna and Hermione small, oblong boxes, "Go ahead and open them."
Inside each box was a self inking quill with a golden nib.
"Thank you, Xeno, these are beautiful."
With an enigmatic smile, Xeno said, "Remember to write."
The Grangers said their farewells as well and Harry and Hermione found an empty compartment near the back of the train, as Xeno had told them that it was traditional for upper years to ride closer to the front.
Ron came on board and asked, "Do you mind if I sit here?"
"Not at all. It's nice that we'll know someone at school."
A small, pudgy boy was passing their compartment when a large, brown toad launched itself from his pocket to land, wetly, on the seat next to Ron.
"Ungh, who keeps a toad for a familiar anymore?"
A voice called from somewhere down the passageway, "Trevor,Trevor? Has anyone seen my toad?"
Hermione went to the door and called out, "In here!"
The boy was so relieved to retrieve his errant amphibian he practically gushed his thanks, then, recognizing his benefactor from Diagon Alley he cried, "Harry!"
Harry gestured to the spot next to Ron, "Have a seat, Neville. May as well get comfortable. Everyone, this is Neville."
"Hermione Granger."
Ron half-waved, "We've met."
"Hey, Ron. Harry, my new wand is brilliant. You wouldn't believe the things I can do now."
Harry smiled and, in his best Ollivander voice, intoned, "Remember, the wand chooses the wizard!"
The train was remarkably smooth and quiet for a steam-driven relic. In no time the four first years had exhausted their stores of small-talk and took to reading.
Some of the older students, apparently bored, walked the corridors to check out the "firsties," or to visit younger brothers or sisters.
The Weasley twins stuck their heads in the compartment and asked, "All right there, Ronniekins, ready for the troll?"
Ron and Neville blanched, "Tuh, troll?"
"It's how Hogwarts sorts us into Houses. You got to wrestle a troll. Not to worry though, it's just a little troll, maybe six feet and fifteen stone."
"Yeah, just a baby, that."
Hermione smirked, "Enough, you two. Ron, Neville, all they do it stick a hat on your head and it tells you what House you are best suited for."
The twins looked appalled, "That's a closely guarded secret, that is! Who told?"
Harry held up Hermione's copy of Hogwart's, A History.
"It's in the book."
"You two may be the only ones on this train who've actually read that."
Later, a thin, blond haired boy with pinched features and an air of self-importance looked in, but before he could spout whatever was on his alleged mind, both Crabbe and Goyle recognized "Prince Harold" and his Consort, and all but carried their companion back to their own compartment.
As they retreated down the passageway, the boys diminishing voice groused, "Crabbe, Goyle, are you crazy? Let go, let go of me I say!"
Harry and Hermione looked at Ron, who shrugged, "A Malfoy, my dad sees his dad at the ministry sometimes. Not nice people."
Neville shook his head, "No, last time I saw Draco, he called me a useless squib. Bunch of blood-purists."
Hermione remembered Xeno Lovegoods warning, "Well I know my blood is pure, and so is Harry's, but that doesn't matter. What matters is the magic, and how well you can use it."
)O(
"Firs' years, this way! Firs' years!"
Harry looked up at the biggest human being he'd ever seen.
"No more'n four to a boat!"
Passing under an arch the giant bellowed, "Watch yer heads, now!"
The castle, with stained glass windows like those of a cathedral reflected on the black waters of the Scottish lake. If it were possible to fall in love with a place at first sight, then they did.
Stepping out of the boat Harry heard the giant say, "Firs' years, all accounted for Professor McGonagall."
"Thank you, Hagrid. You may go in now, enjoy the feast."
"Thank ye, ma'am."
Professor Minerva McGonagall introduced herself and briefly described the Houses. Harry and Hermione had spent hours with Luna discussing the various Houses and the pros and cons of each. Each had their good points, and their detractors as well. Gryffindors tend to be brave but brash and impetuous. Ravenclaws were said to be intelligent, but stand-offish, and meticulous to the point of anal-retentiveness. Slytherins tend to be clever and ambitious, however, they were also insular, not working well with others. Hufflepuffs, by reputation, are hard working and loyal to a fault, but, according to Xeno, looked down on by the rest of the Houses, making it hard for a "Puff" to emerge as any kind of leader outside of the House of Badgers.
Too bad Hogwarts doesn't have one House that had encompasses the best qualities of the other four Houses.
Or does it?
)O(
Let's just speculate, this week, on that last line.
*E-vile grin*
Some of the "What ifs" in this story include, "What if there wasn't a Harry Potter for Snape to single out?" and "What if Harry reminded Severus, not of his hated rival, James Potter, but rather his first and only best friend, Lily Evans?" Might change his whole outlook on life. Who knows, with Luna's intervention, he might even discover shampoo…
Again, many thanks to Tommy King, who corrects my grammar and (British) spelling to provide this story with its authentic British flavour. Good on you, mate!