Chapter Ten
Hermione sat on her bed going over the lists of things to get for school. Harry, Ginny and Ron were all crowded in her room, waiting for their school letters to arrive.
"I'm just not sure which would be more helpful, you know? A homework diary for me to carry around or a homework planner that I can pin above my bed?" Hermione sighed, flopped on her pillows.
"Get both and be done with it." Ron grumbled. He was slumped in the corner in a huff because they wouldn't tell him what they had been discussing. It wasn't worth the wrath of Mrs Weasley.
"It's not that simple." Hermione said, a bit of a snap in her voice, "What if I forget to update one of them and get behind? This is an important year for us, we need to be prepared."
"I'm sure you could get a spell, that would link them so any changes made on one would happen on the other." Harry suggested.
"Bet you anything Fred and George could whip something like that up for you in a second." Ginny suggested, "If there isn't one already."
"Where are Fred and George?" Harry asked.
"They're playing with Danica." Hermione said, absent mindedly, "She seems to really like them."
Harry smirked, "Danica like everyone, especially people she can charm into spoiling her."
"They don't seem all that eager to get their letters." Hermione sniffed.
Ron shrugged, "To be honest they don't care. They've got their future all sorted, although goodness knows where they got the money from, but things are selling really well already and they've not even got a shop. They're only going back to keep Mum happy."
There was a knock on the door and Lily popped her head round, "Your letters are here." she grinned.
The four of them jumped up and followed Lily down the stairs to where a neat pile of letters was sitting on the dinning room table.
Danica was sitting colouring looking very dejected, "This is how you spell Danica right?" she asked, showing Harry her drawing.
Harry nodded, "Yep, that's right."
She sighed loudly, "Still not one for me." she crossed her arms on the table and put her head on them dramatically.
"Danica, you're still only six." Harry told her, "You've got to be eleven to go to Hogwarts."
"It's not fair." she grumbled, not looking up.
Harry smiled and found his letter before sitting next to her. Ron, Fred, George, Hermione and Ginny all also found their own letters and sat down, Harry noticed Hermione's envelope was slightly thicker than the others.
Inside Harry's letter were the normal two pieces of paper. One was the reminder that school started on the first of September, the other was the list of books they would need for the coming year. There were only two new ones, 'The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5' and 'Defensive Magical Theory, by Wilbert Slinkhard'.
Harry had a horrible feeling that the shortness of the list of things to get would make his Mother go shopping by herself rather than taking all of them, and Harry could really use the trip out of the house.
Hermione let out a squeal of delight.
"What is it?" Harry asked.
Hermione held up a shiny new Prefects badge; red and gold with the Gryffindor lion on it and a large shining P.
"I can't believe it!" she grinned, "I never thought it would be me!"
"Congratulations." Harry said.
He hadn't been made Prefect. He was disappointed, he couldn't deny that. He'd done a lot for the school after all but he also knew that he had caused a lot of trouble over the years and with the way Dumbledore was currently ignoring him it made sense he'd been passed over. Harry just hoped that it would be Draco rather than one of the others that had been made Prefect.
Ron was looking confused at his letter, he even turned the envelope upside down to make sure he'd not somehow missed the Prefects badge being awarded to him. Harry rolled his eyes, Ron had done exactly nothing to deserve becoming a Prefect, he couldn't really be surprised surely?
"Well done Hermione." Lily beamed, "Harry tells me it's well deserved."
Hermione blushed at the praise and mumbled a thank you. Mrs Weasley was looking over Ginny's shoulder reading her letter.
"No Prefects award for you Ron?" She asked.
Ron shook his head and gave her an awkward smile, "I'm not exactly best in the year." he mumbled.
Mrs Weasley was clearly very disappointed, "Yes, well. Can't have all the family being Prefects can we?"
"Hey!" Fred huffed.
"And what are we?" George asked, "We never became Prefects either!"
Mrs Weasley blushed slightly, "Yes, yes that's what I meant and we've still got Ginny to go!"
Lily smiled sweetly, "Yes well, Percy was a Prefect wasn't he? Not exactly always a good judge of character."
Mrs Weasley grew very stiff.
"Besides, James wasn't a Prefect, neither was Sirius." Lily said simply.
"Well, I'm glad they've finally found someone to be Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher." Mrs Weasley said, "From what Dumbledore was saying he was having real trouble finding anyone suitable to take the job."
"I wonder who it is?" Ginny asked.
Harry clutched at his letter, why was Dumbledore finding it so difficult to find a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher when Severus had always wanted the job? Dumbledore wasn't ignoring him, that was for sure. Dumbledore had Severus out nearly every day on a secret job or assignment that had him out of the house until late at night. Danica was starting to ask why Daddy was never home for tea. So why wasn't he the new teacher?
"Looks like we'll need to organise a trip out." Lily said, "I'm sure we could all use a day in Diagon Ally."
"I'm happy to get my lots alone." Molly said quickly.
There was a round of complaint from her children.
"Your Father will agree with me." Molly huffed, "Why don't you help Sirius and Remus clear out the last couple of rooms upstairs."
"I'm so glad we're finally getting all those rooms cleared out, you'd think we would of gotten around to it before now." Lily laughed, "Just one of those things I guess."
Molly smiled, "Yes, well I know I couldn't live in a house that was so… dirty but I think it just depends on how house proud you are."
Harry rolled his eye, "You should of seen it when I was younger, I was covered in mould all the time!" he said sarcastically.
Molly looked shocked.
"Ha ha Harry." Lily said, pulling him into a hug which he pretended to get out of.
"Can I at least come on the shopping trip?" Danica pouted, "Or do you need to be eleven for that as well?"
"That depends entirely on your behaviour young lady." Lily said firmly, "Enough with the pouting. You'll be off to Hogwarts soon enough."
Danica sighed, "I just want to go now!"
Lily smoothed her hair soothingly, "I know. Right, Hermione, Harry would you go and fetch your lists for me please and we'll head out as soon as possible."
Hermione nodded and jumped up, Harry followed her up the stairs.
"I mean it you know." he said, "Well done for becoming Prefect."
Hermione smiled, "Thank you. Your Mum didn't seem so happy."
Harry shook her head, "She was. She just..." he looked down stairs to make sure they weren't being over heard, "she just doesn't think much of the way that Molly is really strict with her kids. I mean Ron tries hard enough but he was never going to be Prefect you know? Why be so disappointed in him?"
Hermione sighed, "Well Ronald would have had a much better chance if he worked harder at his lessons. Considering how little work he does and how little homework he hands in, it's a wonder he's gotten the grades he has."
Harry grinned, his own work ethic wasn't brilliant so he didn't really feel that he had the right to comment on Ron's lack of studying.
He left Hermione to make sure her list was complete and went to grab his own. There's really wasn't much this year, his old robes needed lengthening a little but his mother was already half way through that. He need the usual new quills and parchment, more treats for Hedwig and the two new books but that was it. The potions ingredients he could get from Severus like he normally did and his cauldron was still in good nick.
He was just heading back down the stairs when Armilda soared through the hallway into the dinning room. He hurried up, jumping the last few steps.
"Slow down Harry." Sirius said, "If you break your neck you'll never get your letter." he laughed.
"Like you haven't done worse." Harry smirked.
Sirius smiled, "I'm sayin' nothin'!"
"How's Draco?" Lily asked, she was finishing off her own shopping list.
Harry read quickly through the letter.
Dear Harry,
Just a quick note, my Hogwarts letter arrived today (I hope yours did as well and the Ministry aren't trying to pull some trick!) anyway I wanted to tell you that I have been made Prefect!
I was surprised, I honestly thought it would be you. Not sure who the others are yet but I'm hoping it's Daphne or Pansy. I'm going to flip if it's Bulstrode or Davis! We're going shopping today, Diagon Ally. Hopefully we'll see you there.
All the best,
Draco.
"He's going to be shopping as well, we'll be able to meet up." Harry said, "And he's been made Prefect."
"So he's the good influence one for this year?" Sirius grinned, "Gods help us all."
Harry snorted a laugh, "Yeah, well. He is nearly top of the year, got to give him some credit."
"It was Remus, for me and James." Sirius smiled, "Gods everyone thought that it would be James, he was in the Quidditch team and clever and popular. We were total trouble makers though, totally not up for being Prefects. Remus was the right choice."
Harry sat down next to him, "I'm glad it's Draco, but I'm disappointed it's not me."
"Looks like it's at least one more of your friends though." Lily said, pointing to another owl coming through the window, shortly followed by two more.
Harry quickly read through the letters.
"Daphne's not Prefect, I'm kinda surprised there, she's top girl in our year after Hermione." Harry said, thinking out loud, "She says she doesn't mind though as she'd rather aim for head girl. Ooo it's Pansy! Pansy is Prefect as well! And Neville, for Gryffindor obviously. Pretty good choices I would say. Pansy is shopping in a week with Daphne. Damn, it would have been nice to see them. We should run into Neville though, that will be good." Harry said, putting the letters down. He got a large, shallow dish of water for the owls and gave them all a few treats.
Lily handed him a piece of paper to write the replies to his friends. Just quick notes, congratulating Neville, Draco and Pansy and telling Neville and Draco that he would hopefully see them later today.
He attached them to the legs of the owls and let them out of the window.
"All ready?" Lily asked Hermione who'd just come down the stairs.
Hermione nodded, "Yep. I've got my bag and my list."
Lily smiled, "Excellent. Molly is going to go in a few days, she said she would rather stay here with the children. Remus said he'll meet us there, so we wont have to worry about protection."
Hermione nodded and walked over to hold tightly to Lily and Danica's hands. Harry held onto Sirius and felt the unpleasant feeling of being shoved through a tight tube as they left Grimmauld Place.
Diagon Ally was as busy as ever, Harry was a little surprised, he thought at least some people would be worried about his wild claims and chosen to stay home.
"Ice cream?" Danica asked with a grin.
"Books first I think." Lily said, holding tightly to her daughter's hand, "And then, when we've gotten everything else, we can go for ice cream."
Harry wandered with his family into Flourish and Blotts. He picked up a copy of Defensive Magical Theory and flicked through it.
"This seems a bit boring." He said to Hermione, "It has nothing about actually using spells in it."
Hermione shrugged, "Well, I'm sure we will be using spells. Maybe who ever the teacher will just fill those bits in. Or you've just missed those bits in your five second reading."
Harry nodded, that made sense.
Danica loved looking in all the books. Lily let her pick one to buy, although she had to put the first four back as they contained spells and potions that Danica was far too young to read about.
Amanuensis Quills was next on the list. Harry chose several handsome goose feather quills as well as arranging for some more to be sent to him half way through the year.
"Look Danica!" Draco called, spotting them, "This one is as big as you." he grinned holding up a long ostrich feather.
"Cool!" Danica said, running over, "I want it."
"Danica you are far too young to have a quill, ink is far harder to get off walls than crayon." Lily told her, "Well done Draco, Harry told me you'd been made Prefect. I'm sure your parents are very proud."
Draco nodded, "Annoyingly so." he smirked, "They will be in in a moment. Mother and Mrs Longbottom got talking."
Lily smiled understandingly.
Harry went over to see his friend, "Hi."
Draco smiled, "Hey, how are you?"
Harry shrugged, "Could do without all of the side ways looks from people. Glad I'm going to be going back to school though."
Draco nodded, "Yeah me too, I was worried they were going to pull a fast one. They dragged Father in for an interview the other day, asked for permission to search the house, we denied it of course. Fudge looked like he was about to explode so I'm told."
Harry laughed, he could imagine that. There was the small tinkling of the shop bell as someone entered, Neville saw them and waved.
"Mum and your Mum are still talking out there." Neville grinned, "I fear we'll be stuck here forever."
"Well at least until the twins and Danica insist on ice cream." Harry smirked.
Draco and Neville collected the quills and fresh ink they needed and waited for Hermione to finish buying half of the shop.
"Why is it girls always take so long to shop?" Draco laughed.
Hermione rolled her eyes, "I've never once run out of quills or ink while at school, can any of you say the same? No? I rest my case. And have I always had spares for you to borrow."
"All right, all right." Harry said, in a mock surrender.
"I've already taken Neville's robes down once, I think he'll need knew ones by Christmas though, he seems to be growing an inch a day! And Thomas is just as bad, plus he managed to break his wand over the holidays." Alice sighed, holding tightly to the twins' hands.
"I know what you mean." Narcissa said, "Draco doesn't seem to stop growing, he had almost four inches of ankle showing when we tried his robes on the other day."
"Oh hello Harry dear." Alice beamed, "Good to see you and well done for showing the Ministry up."
Harry grinned, "Thanks Mrs Longbottom. And congratulations to Neville, for becoming a Prefect. I seem to know quite a few this year! Should be able to get away with a fair bit."
"No." Draco, Hermione and Neville all said at once.
"Shall we all get some I, C, E, C, R, E, A, M?" Lily suggested, spelling out ice cream so the younger ones wouldn't get upset if the answer was no.
"Sounds wonderful." Alice smiled, "I just have to take Thomas to Ollivander's which I can do afterwards. Want some ice cream girls?"
"Yeah yeah!" Hannah cried.
They wandered over to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour and took a seat outside as the sun was still managing to hold on through the clouds.
Harry sat, slowly eating his pistachio ice cream looking up at the sky.
"I want you all to be careful this year." Alice said, "It might be difficult, as you know the Daily Prophet has been running a lot of unfriendly articles lately and a lot of people believe them. Just stick up for each other, OK?"
They all nodded, Alice was right, they needed to be there for each other.