I'm so sorry for not updating this sooner. I completely lost track of time. I though that I had updated in March or April. I had no idea it had been since February since I last updated. I'm done with high school now (I cried I'll admit it) and I'm valedictorian at my school, and they told me last week so I had 5 days to write a good speech. Not to mention I've never given a speech before so I'm going to be petrified. So here's the chapter I promise to write more this summer.
Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize
Sunday morning dawned too early and to bright for Harry, but as he got out of bed he was happy to see that the clock said 7:00 AM. He rolled out of bed and shook Hermione awake. She turned over to look at him and he could tell by the look on her face that she hadn't got much sleep last night either.
"Are you okay?" He whispered.
"I suppose, how are you?" She asked getting up.
"Alright, but I don't think I'm going to be breaking any rules for a while."
"Agreed, so what do we do now?"
"I was thinking get dressed quickly and run down to breakfast before she notices then go tell Hagrid that Norbert's fine."
"Sounds good." They quickly got dressed and sneaked out without even seeing Minerva.
"Harry?" Hermione asked as they were walking down to the great hall.
"Yeah?"
"Should we go see Ron before going to see Hagrid? Remember what Professor McGonagall said about not wanting us help out there." When she mentioned Professor McGonagall she stuttered. Harry reached over and patted her arm.
"We probably should, but we can't just ignore Hagrid, he's our friend." They quickly grabbed plates and sat down to eat. Lucky for them it was still pretty empty this early on a Sunday. They started inhaling their food when Hermione looked up to the staff table which was empty except for that crazy teacher that Lavender and Parvati were staying with.
"How long do you think we can ignore Minerva?" she asked Harry.
"I don't know, I know we shouldn't have broken curfew but it meant getting rid of Norbert."
"I guess when you think about the consequences, if Norbert was still here and was caught. We'd be in more trouble and Hagrid would probably be fired."
"So next time we see Minerva we say sorry."
"And hope for the best. I do feel really bad though. Should we stop trying to find out about you-know-what?" She asked.
"I'm game if you are." Just then incoming Gryffindor students were looking at the hour glass and complaining rather loudly about what happened to make them lose 100 points overnight. "Done eating?" He asked.
"Done let's go."
Minerva woke up with groan and a splitting headache and it took her a second to remember why. That's right she thought, Harry and Hermione broke curfew. Over a childish prank for Malfoy. Still the more she thought about it the more that didn't sound like something either of them would do. Maybe they really did want to see the stars… no that's ridiculous, she scolded herself. Regardless of why they broke curfew they shouldn't have been out. She slowly got out of bed, it had taken her a long time to get to sleep. Slipping on her dressing gown she walked into the living room to find it deserted as she expected it to be.
"Twinky?" she called and with a pop the house elf appeared in the room.
"Yes Mistress?"
"Can you bring me some breakfast up here, along with a head ache potion? I don't feel like eating in the great hall this morning."
"Certainly." And she disappeared only to reappear a few seconds later with a tray of food and a small smoking potion.
"Thank you Twinky?" And she had just settled down into her chair when a knock at her door startled her. "Come in." she yelled knowing it must be a teacher because the trio never knocked anymore.
"Hello Minerva." Albus Dumbledore said cheerfully.
"Hello Albus, don't take this the wrong way but why aren't you at the great hall for breakfast?" He laughed out loud.
"Minerva dear have you looked at a clock this morning? It's nine AM, I was sure that you would already be dressed and ready to start the day. Though I was surprised not to see you at breakfast this morning which is why I decided to come up. Have the children become sick again?" But Minerva had stopped listening after nine A.M.
"What do you mean it's nine?" She said standing up quickly running into the kitchen to see the clock that hung in there. Sure enough it said nine o'clock. "I haven't slept in this late in…" She wasn't able to finish her sentence.
"Ah so we're having a lazy day then?" He said chuckling but quickly stopped at seeing the look on her face. "What happened?"
"What ever do you mean Albus?" she had sat back down and was starting to eat her food.
"I know you Minerva. You rarely take your breakfast in your room without a reason, and you look exhausted even though you slept in late." She sighed and mentioned for him to sit down.
"Harry and Hermione snuck out last night."
"And you caught them?"
"Filch did. They were heading down from the astronomy tower."
"That doesn't sound like something either of them would do." He said lightly. If it had been Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley it wouldn't have surprised them. But the fact that it was Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger, that was odd.
"They had told Mr. Malfoy some lie about having a dragon, and then they sneaked out to try and watch him get caught." She sighed deeply. "I feel like I did the right thing but I wish I hadn't had to yell at them."
"All part of the job Minerva… though are you sure they were trying to watch Mr. Malfoy get caught. After all they were coming down from the astronomy tower and you know what teens like to do in the ..."
"Albus Dumbledore! There are eleven!"
"Actually I believe Ms. Granger is twelve." He said his eyes twinkling.
"You know what I'm talking about Albus." He chuckled again.
"I know, what punishment did you give them."
"The usual I took fifty points each from Gryffindor, and they both have detention, I haven't decided what their going to be doing."
"I did notice Gryffindor had lost a hundred points overnight. I do believe that's when Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger left the great hall, when people started noticing it."
"Has it gotten around that they lost them yet?" Minerva asked.
"I don't believe so, but I'm sure it will, after all you said Mr. Filch found them I'm sure he'll spread it around soon enough." she grimaced.
"Maybe I'll go easy on them with the detention."
"If I can make a suggestion, I know Hagrid has been looking for some help perhaps they can serve there detention with him." Minerva made a face.
"I don't know. Ron got bit by something when he was helping Hagrid. I don't want them to get hurt."
"But if I understand correctly Hagrid was sick when they were helping him and now he's perfectly fine. I'm sure he'll be able to protect them from anything that comes their way. Besides I'm pretty sure that whatever bit Ronald is long gone by now." She gave him a shrewd look.
"Alright." she said softly. "How you know everything that happens in this school I'll never know, did you even have to come up here to know that I caught those two last night."
"I didn't know who you caught. But I did know you had caught someone. You're much to loud when your angry my dear."
"Out Albus!" She said pointing at the door. He skipped out laughing. Minerva finished her breakfast mumbling under her breath about crazy headmasters.
"So you left the cloak on the astronomy tower?" Ron asked as he accompanied Harry and Hermione down the stairs to grounds to go visit Hagrid.
"Yes pretty stupid huh." Harry said. After talking to Hermione at breakfast he had felt much better. He did still feel bad about cutting curfew and part of him wanted to go back to the astronomy tower to find his cloak. But he didn't dare go back to look, he was almost positive that Filch would be stalking up there all day. It was a good thing that Hermione had had the foresight to hide it in a crack before Charlie's friends had shown up. They hadn't wanted them to find out about it. It was well out of sight and he'd grab it on Wednesday when they had astronomy.
"Will anyone find it you think?" Ron asked, moving his now completely cured arm around. Madam Pomfrey had finally decided that he could leave the hospital wing.
"I hid it pretty well," Hermione said stopping briefly to look at some blue flowers that had just come up. "I would think that no one could find it unless they knew it was there."
"That's good." Ron said. Hermione stepped up and knocked on Hagrid's door.
"Hagrid it's us." She said. Hagrid quickly opened the door and sheparded them in.
"how'd it go?" he asked as soon as he saw Harry and Hermione. His eyes were really bright and he looked at them so hopefully.
"It went perfectly." Harry lied.
"Yep no problems at all Charlie's friends took him away with no problems." Hermione reassured. They didn't want to make him feel worse by saying they had been caught, had points taken away and given detention.
"Well I'm glad there were no problems." He said. It sounded like he was about to cry again.
"Maybe we could do something Hagrid?" Hermione offered.
"Yeah come outside Hagrid. You've been cooped up in here so long; it's nice and warm out today." This was a slight lie on Ron's part. It was about 61 degrees outside (16.1 C) and while it was the warmest day in a while it certainly wasn't warm yet. But Ron had been stuck in the hospital wing for a week, he wasn't going to get stuck in Hagrid's cabin all day. To all their surprise Hagrid nodded.
"I think I should get out. Everythin' in ere reminds me of Norbert." He said sadly. They quickly took him out by the lake trying to cheer him up. Nothing was working until Ron grabbed some water and threw it at Hermione, who in turn screamed and started chasing him to Harry and Hagrid's amusement. Ron outran Hermione by a long shot though leaving her panting. So instead she pulled out her wand and before Ron knew what had happened she had dumped him the lake. Harry and Hermione kneeled over laughing and Ron glared at them and soon Hermione was dunked into the water.
"RON!" she screamed and not wanting to be left out Harry jumped into the water. They started a splashing fight in the sallow water. Hagrid was laughing his head off at the three. Then suddenly something picked Harry up and threw him up into the air and caught him again. In shock he looked and saw the giant squid had thrown him up and caught him again. He might have been wrong, but it looked as if the squid was smiling. It picked up Ron and Hermione next, Ron howling with laughter, Hermione squealing scared to death.
"It's fine Ermione." Hagrid called. "That old squid loves the students. E won't hurt ya."
"That may be but I'm afraid of hheeights!" she screamed the last part as the squid threw her up.
"This is awesome!" Ron yelled. "Hermione be quiet!"
"I can't!" she screamed. The boys all laughed.
"What is going on here!" A sharp voice yelled causing the squid to drop all three kids into the water. Minerva was standing at the lakes edge looking furious.
"uh oh" Harry whispered.
"Are we in trouble?" Hermione whispered to the others. "I don't remember reading anything that says students can't swim in the lake." Ron shook his head.
"We didn't break any rules. Charlie use to tell me how he would swim in lake every June." They slowly trudged out of the water.
"You three are soaked, what on earth possessed you to swim in the lake in March?"
"That might be my fault Professor McGonagall." Hagrid said hurrying over. "They were trying to cheer me up, cause I've been sick." Minerva turned her eyes back on the trio. Harry and Hermione refused to look at her. They thought that she was still mad at them over sneaking out and now this. Ron however had no reason to fear.
"It was all Hermione's fault really." He said. That snapped Hermione out of her stupor.
"It most certainly wasn't my fault Ronald Weasley. You are the one who splashed me with water."
"You are the one who dumped me in the lake."
"Only because you splashed me with water!" She yelled.
"That's enough." Minerva said crossly. "Thank you Hagrid. They'll be coming with me now."
"Bye Hagird." Ron said cheerfully, knowing well that if they were going to be punished it would have happened already. Harry and Hermione didn't realize that and just followed Minerva silently. They sopped up the stairs after Minerva dripping water everywhere. Once they walked into the room Hermione ran into bathroom to take a shower and change. Minerva sighed and with a wave of her wand dried the boy's clothes.
"I'm not mad at you boys. I was just shocked to see you being tossed around by the giant squid." Harry let out a sigh of relief. They weren't getting scolded.
"I'm sorry Minerva, about last night. We shouldn't have snuck out." Harry said.
"I'm sorry I yelled like I did but I did tell you when you moved in that I wouldn't treat you any differently then any other student. You understand that now?"
"Yes." he said nodding. Ron nodded to even though it wasn't directed at him.
"Good I'll be telling Hermione the same thing. If she hadn't ran into the bathroom so quick I would have just dried her. Is she mad at me?" She asked the boys who were shocked. It sounded like Minerva was sad.
"No she's not mad at you." Harry reassured her. "She just thinks you're still mad."
"Alright, are you hungry you missed lunch?"
"Yes!" Ron said.
"What would you like; I'll get Twinky to bring us up some food." Ron screwed his face up. But Harry had an idea.
"Could we have pizza?" He never got to eat it a lot, but he loved it.
"What's pizza?" Minerva and Ron asked.
"If you can get Twinky here I'll tell her what it is." So Minerva did and Harry told Twinky. They had just sat down on the couches when Hermione came out of the bathroom. She took one look at the three on the couch and ran towards the room.
"I'll be right back." Minerva said walking into the room.
"Hermione come here." Minerva said sitting down on Harry's bed.
"Aren't you mad?" Hermione asked from behind her curtain.
"I will be if you don't come out." Minerva warned. Hermione slowly walked out from behind the curtain. Minerva patted the bed and Hermione sat next to her. "Why did you think I'd still be mad at you?"
"Because you were so mad yesterday and then just now."
"I wasn't mad right now, I was just worried that you all would get hurt." Minerva explained. "And yes I was mad yesterday. You broke curfew, I get upset when any Gryffindors break curfew especially the ones that are living in my quarters." She had returned to a teaching voice. "Why did you and Harry go to the astronomy tower? And no lies." She warned. Hermione thought quickly.
"It was like you said. Malfoy has been picking on us lately, worse then normal. He was the one who gave Ron the bloody nose at the Quidditch match." Minerva gasped at this. "And then when Ron was in the hospital wing Malfoy went in there and was laughing at him and took his textbook as a reason to go see him." She explained. She felt slightly better that none of this was a lie. "We wanted him to finally get in trouble for something." She looked down at her hands. "I'm sorry… we just wanted to see him get in trouble to." Minerva wrapped her arms around Hermione, who she thought was about to cry.
"It's okay dear, but next time a student bullies any of you just come start to me. I can take care of it. then you wouldn't be stuck in the same position your in now." She was trying to sound at authoritative but was failing horribly.
"I know now. I'm sorry I'll never sneak out again." Hermione said hugging Minerva back.
"Lets go see if Twinky's back with lunch yet. Harry asked her to make something called pizza?" Minerva said doubtfully. Hermione's face lit up.
"Really I love pizza lets go."
I'm sorry that this took so long to update. I hadn't meant for it to take this long. And I have a question for everyone. If I made a twitter account would any of you follow it? I would put up updates on when chapters are coming. If I'm almost done a chapter, stuff like that. Just an idea I know twitter getting really big now. Let me know and please review.