Chapter Seven: Unexpected Guests
The second week of lessons seemed to drag for Harry. He was really excited about his try-out for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. But Saturday arrived and he was excited mixed with nervous when he and Ron went to breakfast on Saturday morning. Ron was doing best to keep Harry calm despite his own nervousness for his oldest friend and the fact that for the last week, Hermione had been avoiding him. She did not sit next to him for meals, or in class for the entire week. She was spending more time in the library or her dorm room than with Ron, Harry, and Neville. Ron had not really been able to speak to her since last Sunday. When he had woken up from his power nap he found that she had gone and when she showed up for dinner, she sat opposite him and did not look at him. But right now, Ron could not think what he could have done to make Hermione upset with him so she would avoid him, so instead he concentrated on keeping Harry calm.
Once breakfast was over, Ron and Harry walked to the changing room. When they got there, Ron wished Harry good luck before going to find a seat to watch the try-outs. As he waited, he was joined by Neville. Ron also spotted Hermione sitting a short distance away, but he did not go over to her.
The try-outs began and Ron watched as two new Chasers were selected. Two girls named Alicia Spinnet, a third year, and a second year named Katie Bell. Ron watched as the potential Seekers all lined up with old school broomsticks and Oliver Wood put them through their paces using drills before releasing a Snitch and saying that whoever caught the Snitch first was in the team. Then to almost everyone's surprise, Harry caught the Snitch in less than seven minutes. Ron noticed how Wood's eyes lit up with glee as it seemed he had found a Seeker who could help him win the Quidditch Cup at last.
When it was over, Ron and Neville congratulated Harry on making the team.
'Nice flying, Harry,' said Ron.
'Cheers, Ron, now why don't we get some food from the kitchen to celebrate?' said Harry.
Ron and Neville agreed so they went into the kitchen where the house-elves gave them enough food to feed a small army, or just enough to feed Ron. When they got back to the common room, Ron spotted Hermione sitting on a couch reading her book again. But instead of going over to her he went with Harry to the other side of the room where the rest of the Quidditch team were having a team building exercise of simply sharing Butterbeers and eating.
Harry then asked Wood about having players in reserve for all the positions.
'That's an interesting idea, Harry, is it something your dad would have done?' he asked.
'Yeah, definitely, he was obsessed when he was Quidditch Captain. He made sure he had reserves everywhere in case people got detention or injured,' Harry told him.
'I'll run it past the rest of the team, Harry,' said Wood.
Wood was a man of his word and the team agreed that there should be reserves as last year Alicia Spinnet had been a reserve. Wood then drew up a practice schedule for the team which consisted of three practices a week. But Harry suggested to Wood to arrange practices in the afternoons and evenings whenever possible as his dad had told him that it's just no good trying to tell a team about new strategies when they're all half asleep.
Wood seemed to understand where Harry was coming from and agreed. Wood also put up a notice on the board for reserve try-outs to take place the following weekend, but for now, the Quidditch team was set and ready to start their schedule.
Ron had been half listening to the Quidditch talk going on because he was watching Hermione as she read her book and minded her own business. Ron decided enough was enough and went over to Hermione and sat down next to her.
'Hermione, please stop reading and talk to me,' he said gently.
Hermione looked up from her book and saw Ron looking at her.
'Hermione, did I do something to annoy you, because we haven't spoken to each other all week,' he said.
'No, you didn't do anything, Ron,' she replied.
'Then why have you been avoiding me?' he asked.
'I – I can't tell you,' she said.
'Hermione, friends tell each other stuff, so you can tell me, please,' he said.
'All right, I'll tell you. It's Lavender and Parvati. They've been teasing me about you. Laughing at how we're always holding hands and things like that,' she said.
'Do you like holding hands with me?' he asked.
'Yes,' she whispered.
'Well, stuff what Lavender and Parvati think! Stuff what they say about our friendship! I like you, Hermione, and you like me, we're friends, and if they're too immature to understand that, you should ignore them, or hex them!' he said crossly.
'Are you cross with me?' she asked tearfully.
'No, Hermione, I'm not cross with you, and even if I were, I doubt I could stay that way for long,' he said.
Hermione smiled and said, 'I missed you.'
'I missed you too, c'mere,' he said before pulling her into a hug.
'Made up, have you?' asked Harry's voice.
'Dunno what you're talking about, Harry,' said Ron as he kept a tight hold on Hermione.
'Sure you don't, Ron,' said Harry before he turned to Hermione and said, 'He's been moping all week because you weren't talking to him, wondering what he did wrong.'
'It was Lavender and Parvati; they've been teasing her about being friends with you, Neville and me. Well, me mainly. I think a nice little prank will sort them out,' said Ron.
'Hmm, have you got one in mind?' asked Harry.
'Yeah, I do, but I don't know their weaknesses well enough, so, Hermione, can you help us?' said Ron.
'Um, okay, but I don't know that much about them myself. But I do know that they like their hair to look perfect at all times,' she said.
'Brilliant, absolutely brilliant, Hermione,' said Ron as Harry caught on to what possible hexes were going through his almost brother's mind.
Hermione blushed as Ron complimented her, and said, 'Congratulations on making the Quidditch team, Harry.'
Harry said thanks and sat down and shared a few Butterbeers themselves.
Later on in the day, Ron and Harry hexed Lavender and Parvati's hair so it turned grey with loads of split ends. The two girls squealed their lungs out as they ran upstairs to their dorm to fix their hair, while Ron, Harry, Neville and Hermione laughed at them.
0o0
The following evening saw the four of them relaxing by the fire in the common room. The hex on Lavender and Parvati had worn off, and they had apologised to Hermione for teasing her.
Hermione was sitting on Ron's lap as the seats by the fire were taken. Again their homework was done and they had nothing to do. Harry and Neville were playing wizard's chess on the floor close to where Ron and Hermione were sitting. Ron was watching the game and could not help shake his head at their mistakes as they played.
It was then that the door to the common room opened and three people who Ron had no trouble in recognising entered; James and Lily Potter, along with Sirius Black.
'Harry, your parents are here,' said Ron.
'Very funny, Ron, now, don't talk to me, I'm trying to concentrate,' said Harry, who had noticed nothing.
'Trying to concentrate? It's a bit late for that, given the mistakes you've already made!' teased Ron.
'Bugger off, Weasley,' said Harry as he moved his bishop.
'Harry James Potter! You shouldn't tell your best friend to bugger off!' said Lily from behind him.
'AH! Mum, Dad, Sirius, er, what are you doing here?' said Harry startled as he got to his feet at speed.
James and Sirius burst out laughing as did Neville, Ron and Hermione.
Lily took pity on her eldest and said, 'We came up here to drop off your broomstick, Harry.'
James tossed the Nimbus 2000 to Harry who caught it easily.
'Oh, right, thank you. You can go now,' said Harry trying to dismiss his parents and Sirius before they could really embarrass him.
But Lily turned to Ron and saw Hermione was on his lap and said to Hermione as she extended her hand, 'You must be Hermione, I'm Lily Potter.'
'Nice to meet you, Mrs Potter,' said Hermione as she shook hands with Lily.
'Please call me Lily,' she said smiling at her, 'this is James, my husband, and this git is Sirius Black, he's Harry's godfather.'
'Nice to meet you too, Mr Potter and Mr Black,' said Hermione politely.
But then to her shock, both men clutched their hearts and cried, 'No, no, no, please don't call us Mr Potter or Mr Black! It makes us feel old!'
Lily did the only thing she could think of which was cuff James and Sirius around the head. 'When are you two going to grow up and act your ages? You're Aurors for Merlin's sake!' she said shaking her head.
'Lils, we're Marauders, we're not supposed to grow up!' protested James.
Lily could not help but laugh at her childish husband as the rest of them laughed too.
'It's nice to meet you, Hermione, please call me Sirius,' said Sirius as he shook hands with her.
'What he said, except you can call me James,' said James following suit.
James and Sirius gave Harry their congratulations the only way they knew how by embarrassing him by ruffling his already messy hair. But luckily for Harry, his parents and godfather did not outstay their welcome and left and once they had gone, Harry drew his chess game with Neville and went to bed.
The next shock for Harry came in Potions class during the week. Instead of seeing Uncle Sev, he saw his mother at the front of the class.
'Please tell me that my mother is not going to be teaching us,' he whispered to Ron.
'Sorry, mate, I don't reckon I can,' said Ron.
'Settle down, please,' said Lily.
The class did as they were told and Lily continued. 'I am Professor Potter, and yes, I am Harry's mother. I am just standing in for Professor Prince while he deals with a family problem. Now, let's get to work, shall we?'
Potions class with his mother was actually quite good. He and Ron had been home-schooled in Potions by her before they started Hogwarts and were used to her teaching methods. She did not get angry when mistakes were made, even by Crabbe and Goyle. She was fair and made it fun too. But not everyone appreciated her. Harry and Ron could see the looks of annoyance and hatred on the faces of Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Parkinson, and Bulstrode as they felt that being taught by a Mudblood was outrageous. Harry and Ron were already planning a prank for the lot of them if they so much as scowled in Lily's direction.
When the lesson was over, she asked that Harry stay behind. But then she saw the reluctance of Ron, Neville and Hermione to leave without Harry, so she asked them to stay behind too.
'What's wrong with Uncle Sev?' asked Harry, the moment the classroom was empty.
'It's nothing too terrible. The twins; Andromeda and Eileen have the flu, and their mother has got it now, so she needs Sev to nurse them all better,' Lily told them.
'Is Aunt Cissy all right?' asked Harry.
'Yes, she's fine, she just felt too weak to keep cleaning up all the sick all the time. They're here in Sev's living quarters and he's waiting on them hand and foot,' said Lily.
'Can I go and see them?' asked Harry.
'I suppose, but don't get too close, I don't want you to get the flu, and I'm sure your teammates on the Quidditch team don't either,' said Lily.
'Is there anything else?' asked Harry.
Lily hesitated for a moment and said, 'There is one thing. It's about the Malfoy boy. Did you know he was raised by his father alone?'
'Yeah, but not why though,' replied Harry.
Lily took a deep breath and began.
'When you were seven, Draco's mother and a group of others attempted a coup upon the French Ministry. The group consisted of the Lestranges, Barty Crouch Junior, Peter Pettigrew, and Bellatrix Black-Malfoy – plus a few others. Lucius wanted nothing to do with it, that much we are sure of, but the rest were just as fanatical about blood purity. They tried to overthrow the French Ministry of Magic because they thought it was the best place to start.
'However, they were caught and given the Dementor's Kiss. That means that they had their souls sucked out, they aren't dead, but they might as well be. Now, why am I telling you this? The boy has been raised by a man who hates the world and especially people like us. So, I'm asking you to stay away from him, okay?'
'We'll do our best, but if he starts anything, the gloves are coming off, Mum,' said Harry.
'I suppose that will have to do. Now, it's lunchtime, so you should get something to eat. Good work today, you four,' she said as she showed them out of the dungeon.
As they walked, Harry was thinking about one of the other names his mother had said. Peter Pettigrew. He had heard that name before and then he remembered that he had been at school with his parents. He had been sorted into Gryffindor too, but he did not like the Marauders at all. He hated them so much that if they pulled any pranks, he ratted them out to the teachers. But he especially hated James, Sirius, and Severus. He had been told many stories of the little Pettigrew boy who dobbed them in all the time and could not help but hate him too.
Finally the day came to an end and once homework was done, (at the insistence of Hermione), it was bedtime.
The next day, Harry visited his Uncle Sev in his quarters to see how he was doing.
'How's it going, Uncle Sev?' he asked.
'Cissy is getting better and so are the girls. How are you, Harry?' Sev replied as he sounded exhausted.
'I'm fine, is there anything I can do to help?' Harry offered kindly.
But before Sev could reply, a voice rang out.
'Is that Harry I can hear?'
Sev and Harry stood up and Harry followed his Uncle as he walked to his wife's bedside and sat down.
'You're supposed to be sleeping,' said Sev as he gently swept her black hair from her eyes.
'I know, Severus, but I heard Harry's voice, so …' she replied drowsily.
Sev waved for Harry to come closer and he did.
'Hello, Aunt Cissy, Uncle Sev tells me that you're getting better,' said Harry.
'I am, and you'll have your old Potions Master back. How's school?' she said smiling.
'It's good, and I'm sure Uncle Sev just loved being called old,' said Harry smiling back at her.
'Yes, I'm sure he did,' she replied.
'Do you need anything?' asked Harry.
'No, I'm being well looked after, thank you, Harry. You are such a sweet boy, aren't you?' she said.
Harry blushed and said, 'Yeah, but don't tell anyone.'
'Your secret is safe with me,' said Aunt Cissy.
'I'd better go, it'll be curfew soon. It was nice seeing you, Aunt Cissy,' said Harry as he stood up to leave.
'It was nice to see you too, Harry, and congratulations on making the Quidditch team,' she said smiling.
'Thanks, can I come and see you again tomorrow?' asked Harry.
'Of course, you can,' she replied.
'I'll see you tomorrow, goodnight,' he said before he was seen out by Uncle Sev.
When he got back to the common room, the other three asked how his Aunt was and he told them before they all went to bed.