The Next morning, Harry had only just started his porridge when, sure enough, there was a rushing sound overhead and a hundred or so owls streamed in, circling the hall and dropping letters and packages into the chattering crowd. A big, lumpy package bounced off Neville's head and, a second later, something large and gray fell into Hermione's jug, spraying them all with milk and feathers.

"Errol!" said Ron, pulling the bedraggled owl out by the feet. Errol slumped, unconscious, onto the table, his legs in the air and a damp red envelope in his beak.

"Oh, no -" Ron gasped.

"It's all right, he's still alive," said Hermione, prodding Errol gently with the tip of her finger.

"It's not that - it's that."

Ron was pointing at the red envelope. It looked quite ordinary to Harry, but Ron and Neville were both looking at it as though they expected it to explode.

"What's the matter?" said Harry.

"She's - she's sent me a Howler," said Ron faintly.

"You'd better open it, Ron," said Neville in a timid whisper. "It'll be worse if you don't My gran sent me one once, and I ignored it and" - he gulped - "it was horrible."

Harry looked from their petrified faces to the red envelope.

"What's a Howler?" he said.

But Ron's whole attention was fixed on the letter, which had begun to smoke at the corners.

"Open it," Neville urged. "It'll all be over in a few minutes -"

Ron stretched out a shaking hand, eased the envelope from Errol's beak, and slit it open. Neville stuffed his fingers in his ears. A split

Second later, Harry knew why. For a moment he thought it had exploded; a roar of sound filled the huge hall, shaking dust from the ceiling.

"- Stealing the car, I wouldn't have been surprised if they'd expelled you. You wait until I get hold of you! I don't suppose you stopped to think about it."

"Think what your father and I went through when we saw it was gone."

Mrs. Weasleys yells, a hundred times louder than usual, made the plates and spoons rattle on the table, and echoed deafeningly off the stone walls. People throughout the hall were swiveling around to see who had received the Howler, and Ron sank so low in his chair that only his crimson forehead could be seen.

"- A letter from Dumbledore last night. I thought your father would die of shame. We didn't bring you up to behave like this. You could have died."

Harry had been wondering when his name was going to crop up. He tried very hard to look as though he couldn't hear the voice making his eardrums throb.

"Absolutely disgusted! Your father's facing an inquiry at work, it's entirely your fault and if you put another toe out of line we'll bring you straight back home."

A ringing silence fell. The red envelope, which had dropped from Ron's hand, burst into flames and curled into ashes. Harry and Ron sat stunned, as though a tidal wave had just passed over them. A few people laughed and, gradually, a babble of talk broke out again.

Hermione closedVoyages with Vampires and looked down at the top of Ron's head.

"Well, I don't know what you expected, Ron, but you -"

"Don't tell me I deserved it," snapped Ron.

"Obviously, you deserved every bit of it!" Ginny said. "And worse, you tried to blame Harry for it!"

"How'd you know about it?" Hermione asked.

"I've noticed it when i was changing into my school robes." Ginny replied. "Besides, Harry and Susan were on the train also."

Susan glared at Ron from the Hufflepuff table. "Out right git, putting the blame on you, when we were snogging in the loo."

"Remain calm, Susie; don't let it get you riled up," Harry thought, sending her warm thoughts.

Later on, Harry and Susan met up with Neville and the rest of the Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin students in the greenhouse for Herbology class. they waited until professor sprout to arrive. Harry and Susan were talking about their relationship, while Neville was talking to Angelina about his plants.

"Good morning Everyone." Pomona said.

"Good Morning, Professor Sprout." the group said.

"welcome to greenhouse three Second years, now gather around everyone." Pomona said. "Today, we're going to repot Mandrake, Who here can tell me the properties of the Mandrake root?"

"Hermione raised her hand.

" Yes, miss Granger?" Pomona said.

"Mandrake, or Mandragora, is used to reverse the effects of someone who has been petrified; however, it is also quite dangerous. The Mandrake's cry can be fatal to anyone who hears it," Hermione explained.

"Excellent, ten points to Gryffindor. Now, since our Mandrake's are still only seedlings, their cries won't kill you yet, but they could knock you out for several hours. That's why I've given each of you a pair of earmuffs for auditory protection. So, please put them on immediately."

While she was Showing them the Mandrake's, Neville passed out.

"hmm, Longbottom's been neglecting his earmuffs." Pomona said.

"No ma'am, he just feinted." Seamus said.

"oh well, just leave him there." Pomona said as she continued with class. "now, everyone grasp your mandrake firmly and pull up."

The Mandrake cried until they placed it into a pot, and covered it in fresh dirt.

"that was simple enough." Susan thought. "hopefully we don't have to do that again."

"I agree Susan, let's get to work." Harry thought fixing to walk out of the greenhouse.

"Oh that's right, you've got Quidditch Training this afternoon." Susan said as Hermione caught up with them.

"So Harry, Neville told me that you wanted to speak to me about something." Hermione said. "Something about your little sister."

"Let's go somewhere private to talk." Harry said walking to Moaning Myrtle's Bathroom.

"okay, what's her name?" Hermione asked.

"yeah, I've got a little sister." Harry said. "Her name is Emily Jean Lily Potter."