Harry
"Hurry up Harry!" he heard Alina's voice call out from their normal spot at the Ravenclaw table. As usual, curious eyes followed him when they heard his name as he hurried over to where his friends were all already sitting.
"Took you long enough," Marik said as soon as he sat down.
"Sorry McGonagall held me in the common room to talk after I finished packing." He said, trying to catch his breath from hurrying to arrive.
"Ooh what did she want?" Hermione asked him.
"She just congratulated me on my end of year projects and told me to expect an owl from her soon," he answered her.
"I wonder what she is sending you," Alina said, still looking as nervous as she had that morning even though her presentations were all over.
"Probably just a list of transfiguration stuff to prepare myself for third year. And why do you still look so nervous, presentations are over?" he asked her. Alina's hands looked like they were shaking.
"Becauseee I feel like I did so bad! I had such good projects and we practiced them all so much! I just feel like I choked," Alina answered, looking sad.
"Oh stop it Alina, I overheard three different first year Slytherin's while I was packing say you made them all look like muggles with your projects. You did fine," Marik replied to Alina. She looked comforted by his words and changed her face to a smile.
"I asked Luna in our common room how she thought things played out and she said that your potions presentation was by far the best in your year," Hermione said to Alina.
"No way! Thanks Hermione! So spill the beans already how did your project's go?" Alina asked them all.
"Well my draught of peace seemed to impress Snape about as much as my animarevealo did last year so that was good. Binns seemed to like my report on Acromantulas but I can never really tell what he was thinking. And I was surprised how much Flitwick liked my report and demonstration on the memory spell. Even though it is a spell we eventually will learn in fifth year he seemed to be really impressed with it," Hermione answered first, making her performances seem smaller than they had been.
"Hermione blew it out of the water Alina. Flitwick even said that only the top few fifth years can even successfully cast the memory spell she did. And Dumbledore gave her a standing ovation for her potions presentation," he said, making Hermione blush a little.
"How about you Harry?" Alina asked, turning to face him.
"I'm feeling a lot more confident this year than last that is for sure. My three layered animagus transfiguration spell was by far the professor's' favorite," he started to answer.
"And he didn't even get interrupted by a house elf this time!" Marik interrupted him. They all laughed at the joke.
"Yeah that did help." He continued. "My presentation on occlumency and legilimency seemed to impress Kingsley and Dumbledore a lot so that was good too," he explained.
"That sounds like you did better than you hoped too then! What about your astronomy project?" Alina asked again.
"It went well, Sinistra seemed to like the additions and modifications I made to the galactic way-viewer," he said, answering Alina.
"He is putting it modest too. He got just as much applause as me and Marik did on all of his presentations. I think this year's 'M' rankings are honestly up for grab in almost every subject between us," Hermione interrupted. He smiled at the compliment from her.
He hoped she was right. He had been working all year like a madman to make sure his marks this year were better than last. In the end he could honestly say he was proud with the progress he had made this year on his magic. In just his second year he was further in his animagus work than most people were in their sixth. As well he had finally began to break through on his mind magics during the last two months of classes and already was beginning to push into the more difficult areas of the subject.
"Well what about you?" Alina asked, staring at Marik.
"My herbology project was the best by far," Marik joked. Hermione and Alina both just gave him death glares instead of any laughs. "What? At least I did one this year! And Sprout did seem to like it!" Marik tried to argue.
"Seriously Marik! How did you do?" Alina said, raising her voice at Marik. She had quickly become the best person in their group at controlling Marik.
"Well both of my shadow spells seemed to go over about as good as last year. And Snape did not laugh at my potions project so that is always a plus!" Marik answered.
"Well I'm glad. Do you think Daphne or anyone else might steal and 'M' this year?" Alina asked.
"She could. Her projects were all pretty impressive," he answered her.
"I think we will make it two years straight though as the top dogs though. Neville will probably get herbology, but the poor bastard deserves that much." Marik answered, making a smirk as he did.
"I hope so." Hermione added, making a nervous face.
"So you guys ready to pay up?" He asked his friends, changing the subject. They had talked nonstop about their end of year projects for the past month and he was ready to put them behind him.
"Are you kidding me? There is no way Hufflepuff is losing this!" Alina said, standing up in defiance at his comment.
"Well I know I will be paying up," Marik added putting his head on the table in defeat.
They had all made a bet a few months back about which of their houses would win the House Cup. Since each one of them was in a different house it had become quite competitive over the last two months. Well, competitive except for Slytherin. Some first year Slytherin boy named Malcom had tried to jinx Alina one day when her and Marik where walking the front lawn a few days after they all made the bet. Marik had proceeded to jinx the pants off of Malcom, literally, after he caught up to the boy.
When McGonagall showed up to the scene she ended up taking away a ton of points from Marik due to him using spells that were too aggressive to be used on another student, which they probably were just a little too aggressive. Malcom also lost a lot of points for his house for attempting to attack another student, so in the end it was a three horse race between everyone but Slytherin.
Right now Gryffindor was in first, with Ravenclaw right behind in second, and Hufflepuff a little ways behind in third. In their bet the three losers would all have to do one assignment for the winner next year so the stakes were high. The free time you could get from skipping three assignments was one of the most valuable things you could get at Hogwarts. So this was like gold to them.
"Don't worry Marik, maybe when you do my potions work next year you might actually learn how to brew a proper potion," Hermione joked, sticking her tongue out.
"Wow! Thanks Hermione-no-soul-satan-Granger!" Marik shouted, still with his head down on the table. A few owls started to trickle into the Hall overhead for the last mailtime of the year. This was the only time in the year the owls came at dinner time since the Hall was used for project presentations all morning. An owl flew right over their group and dropped a letter in front of Hermione, Marik, and Alina.
"What are those?" he asked them, feeling slightly upset that everyone but him had got one.
"Ughhh nooooooo." Marik returned his head to the table after reading his.
"Well?" he asked again. He probably sounded like Hermione did when she wanted to know something.
"It is from the Minister of Magic's office. The minister wants to do interviews before the tournament this summer with all of the contestants," Hermione answered him, looking visibly upset as she did.
Marik had told him everything that he had overheard the Minister of magic say when he was alone in the castle. Harry had been surprised to hear how little the minister cared about those who were not purebloods and how he actually been happy that there might be a few less muggleborns in the world. It made them all sick. Since then there opinions of the minister had become about as low as you can get.
"No way in hell I am going to that," Marik stated, lifting his head up from the table.
"I agree. All I would be able to think about during the interview would be that he said he was happy I was dead," Alina added, agreeing with Marik.
"I never thought I would agree with ignoring the Minister of Magic but I'm in the same boat as you guys. No way I'm talking to that ass," Hermione added, ripping her letter up.
"So, changing the subject. . ." he started to say as their group got quiet thinking about the minister. "What is everyone going to work on the most this summer?" he asked the group, but never got an answer as the Headmaster had made his way to the podium and silenced the Hall.
"Before we begin the final feast of the year I would like to thank you all for making it another great year at Hogwarts and for again pushing the boundaries of magic with all of your projects. You all did a great job and should be proud of how far you have come since the start of the year. Please give yourself a round of applause," Dumbledore announced and started clapping, the rest of the students and staff in the Hall quickly joining in.
"Next I wish you all the best of luck in your grades this summer." A loud groan from many of the other students could be heard throughout the Hall at the mention of grades, including Hermione and Alina. "I look forward seeing you all again next years, except the seventh years! I better not see any of you here next year!" Dumbledore joked, and again more groans could be heard from a few seventh years. "Now let us see the final point totals for the House Cup this year. Professor Flitwick would you please add the last two week totals," Dumbledore said, looking at the small professor.
Flitwick snapped his fingers and the sand inside the glasses started moving. The entire Hall looked on with bated breath.
"And this year's House Cup winner is. . . Hufflepuff!" Dumbledore announced to the Hall. The Hufflepuff table along with Alina stood up and erupted into cheers. Loud chants of Hufflepuff echoed off the walls of the Great Hall as all the banners turned to the house's colors. He could see Professor Sprout smiling from ear to ear at the teacher's table.
"Hahaha! Suck it!" Alina said, pointing fingers at the three of them. "I expect nothing less than perfect marks on the assignments I chose!" she sneered. Marik's head again found its place on the table with a thud. Harry just groaned, trying not to think about having to do even more work next year.
Dumbledore snapped his fingers and all of the food appeared on the tables throughout the Hall. "Let the feast begin!" Dumbledore finished announcing and they all started digging in. He almost got his finger bit off when he reached for the rolls that Alina and Marik had grabbed first.
"Would the following second year students please come up here when I call out your names." All the second year's turned from their plates to look at McGonagall who was talking at the podium.
"What is this about?" Marik asked them.
"Shhh!" Hermione said.
"Daphne Black, Cho Chang, Hermione Granger, Padma Patil, Harry Potter, and Marik Ose," McGonagall finished announcing the names.
"Oh god what did we do?" Marik asked, looking concerned. The three of them made their way up to McGonagall along with the other three names that had been called. All of them looked as pale as ghosts.
"I will make this quick because I am sure you are all hungry. You were told by one of your professors during your first year at Hogwarts that in your third year you would be able to take as many electives as you would like. You six have proved yourselves to be the top students in your year first year, and I expect much the same this year when I see your grades.
"With that in mind I encourage you all to seriously consider taking more than just the one elective you are already taking next year, so that you can continue to push yourselves to reach the potentials that you all have." McGonagall received nods from everyone their. It was really no surprise to see them all nodding though, who had the balls to tell her no.
"Your third year at Hogwarts is truly the year that separates the good witches and wizards from the great witches and wizards. It is in your third year where we professors begin to expect much more out of you and where as a student you must truly push yourself harder than ever before. Even the hard work that I know you all put in this year will not be enough for next year. Obsession is what it truly takes to be at the top starting next year, and the top is the only thing I expect from each of you. Which is why you are here." McGonagall changed her look from the normal death glare to a somewhat attempt at a smile.
"At the end of the year every year the professors vote on six second year students to receive the Ministry of Magic's signature student award. While the choice of the votes do not reflect the ranking of the students or your grades, the votes do reflect the six students that the professors see the greatest potential in. You are the six we have chosen." Most of the students up in front of McGonagall looked around in disbelief at the others. Notably Daphne and Marik didn't look to surprised.
"Now the reason this is so important and the reason we professors vote on who gets this award is because of this." She handed each of them a small weird looking metal device. "This device has been enchanted by the ministry to give the six students chosen to receive it the ability to perform magic outside of the school during the summer between years," McGonagall explained, and notably all six of their jaws dropped this time.
"Now while you cannot perform spells that risk the law of secrecy or obviously harm someone else, you will be able to perform a large number of spells. You have been chosen by us and given this opportunity because we expect greatness from you all. Therefore we expect you take full advantage of this and get as far ahead as you can over the summer.
As I said third year is where the challenge begins. If you do not train, research, study, and practice over the summer you will not find yourself at the top of the class next year. That is all. Do not let us down!" McGonagall finished talking, and a weird smile rose on her face. He was sure she got joy out of scaring them.
Like ants they all scattered away from the professor as quick as they could back to their seats. The three of them sat down when they arrived back to where Alina was waiting for them. Their faces still set with a look of fright and in disbelief.
"Well! Spill the beans!" Alina shouted at them when they sat down. The three of them just looked at each other not knowing what to say.
"We are dead is what happened," Marik said, and again for the third time found his head meeting the table. Luckily he dodged the pot of gravy next to his plate.
"What does that mean? What happened?" Alina asked with a mouth full of bread.
"McGonagall gave us these," he said, handing her the metal object McGonagall gave them.
"What is it?" Alina asked, looking curiously at the object.
"It allows us to use magic over the summer," Hermione answered from beside him.
"What! That is so unfair! That is awesome! So why do you all look so down now, you should be celebrating?" Alina asked them, looking worried.
"McGonagall basically said that all of our work this year was nothing compared to the work we will have to do next year. And that the only reason we were getting these was because if we didn't work over the summer we would be screwed," he answered her. He suddenly didn't feel hungry.
"I don't think it's possible to work harder than I did this year. . ."Hermione said, she looked pale.
"I barely slept at all. . ." Marik added, still with his head down.
"Oh I am sure she was just making it sound worse than it will be. You know how she is! So why did only you six guys get them?" Alina asked, trying to comfort them.
"The professors voted on the six students in our year with the most potential." he answered her. Not really believing the words anymore.
"That's a huge honor! Congratulations!" Alina replied, again trying to comfort them.
"Yeah, I guess. . ." Hermione said, quietly as she poked at some peas on her plate.
"Oh snap out of you guys!" Alina shouted at them. "You just got permission to practice magic over the summer. Most people here would kill for that! I know I would and I just may! To go along with that the professors said you were basically the best in your year. We should be celebrating!" Alina said, continuing to shout at them. He noticed some eyes around them looking at them now.
"Yeah okay you are right," he said, admitting defeat. He would worry about next year tomorrow, for today he would enjoy being done with another year.
"There you go Harry! Now Marik pass me the butter or I will turn that pouting face of yours into a snail!" Alina said, threatening Marik who quickly lifted his head and passed her the butter. They couldn't help but all laugh at him as he did.
"Cheers everyone." He grabbed his cup of juice and raised it to the middle of their section, wanting to salute the end of year and all of the work they had done.
"You can't make a toast with apple juice Harry," Marik said from the other side of the table.
"Shut up and raise your damn glass Marik!" he said, shouting at his friend. Marik quickly raised his glass. "To another great year at Hogwarts," he said, raising his glass higher.
"And to Goonie the Uni," Marik added, earning a groan from he and Hermione and a confused look from Alina.
"And cheers to all the good times and great memories," Hermione added her cheers, and smiled at him.
"And to having the greatest friends in the world!" Alina added.
"To friends!" They all said in unison and clanked their glasses together, toasting another great year at Hogwarts, and an even greater time together..
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