Chapter 76

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Monday 13/4/92

Dear Spencer

We got rid of the dragon. McGonagall and Snape still hadn't done anything but Ron's brother Charlie sent friends to collect it and deliver it to him at the Dragon Preserve in Romania where he works. Only problem was for some reason they insisted on collecting it from the top of the astronomy tower at midnight. If they were trying not to get caught then having us carry it out the front gate or meeting us down on the edge of the lake away from the castle makes far more sense, not to mention if they didn't tie the crate up properly it would only drop from a few inches from the grass instead of hundreds of feet onto a flagstone courtyard. Ron got bitten, by the dragon when he was trying to help Hagrid feed it, rest assured I've been staying away from Hagrid's since the dragon started biting everything that came close and breathing fire all the time. It might still be small but it's awfully bad tempered. He tried to patch it up himself but he had to go to the hospital wing when his hand turned green and started to smell, and he was stupid enough to lend the book with the letter from Charlie in it to Malfoy. Something that also makes no sense, why keep a letter in a library book and why on earth lend it to Malfoy, someone he never speaks to without starting an argument.
Paranoia and conspiracy theories, here I go again. I'm so sick of not knowing who to trust. One thing I thought I could trust about Ron was his dislike for Malfoy and everyone in Slytherin. But then he goes and gives him the letter, he said it was an accident but how did Malfoy know to come to the infirmary and ask for the book in the first place, it's not like anyone would have expected Ron to have a particular library book even if it was needed for an assignment, much less have it with him in the hospital wing.

Anyway, Ron was safely in the hospital wing with the infected bite, so Hermione, wanted Neville and I to carry the bloody crate filled with a dragon to the top of the Astronomy tower where Charlie Weasley and his friends will take it away by broom. I told her that it was stupid that we carry something that big around the castle after curfew when there's no good reason that Hagrid couldn't carry it up there himself rather than have us risk getting detention or the dragon burning though the wooden crate and getting away from us, and I told her that if she didn't trust him to do it she should talk to McGonagall and get her to talk him into it because I don't think he'd listen to us. She's angry at me and insisted that we needed to go with Hagrid to make sure he did it and to provide moral support as he gave up his beloved pet. I refused to go and now she and Ron are both not talking to me.

Hermione dragged Neville out to help her carry the crate instead and got caught by McGonagall, Malfoy told her we were out of bed sneaking around the castle and now they have detention tomorrow night, something she's even madder about than me not taking the dragon up to the tower, because of course it's my fault she got caught. I guess it kind of is, if I hadn't refused it would've been me and Neville. I can't believe that McGonagall gave them detention for trying to get rid of the dragon. Afterall I asked for her help to do it a month ago and she didn't do anything, not that I can confront her about that without getting in trouble for knowing about the dragon as well. Ron's taken her side and is angry with me as well, not that I care that much, I'm glad to have time away from having to think about whether he can be trusted and constantly watch what I'm saying. I'm still being careful though. I remember your warning that whoever is interfering might change their targets if they notice I'm spending too much time with other people but it's just easier.

Anyway I've been hanging around with Dean and Seamus and I must say I've been enjoying the time with them. Seamus and I are getting on a lot better, it seems to be Ron he dislikes and I just get caught up in it because Ron's hanging about me most of the time. Neither of then like studying with Hermione either though they wouldn't mind hanging out with her away from homework if she wanted. Neville hangs out with us from time to time but seems to prefer to study with Hermione.

I've been trying to write the English essays for the books you sent me. It's forcing me to try to learn the things you wrote about last letter. The only problem is I can't give them to anyone here to mark them so I don't know if I'm on the right track or they're complete rubbish. I can see what you mean though, after trying to find a reason for a character's relationship to fail I started looking at my older housemates romances and I've started to notice what annoys the other person a bit and thought about why some of them will say something and others will just frown and try to ignore it. It doesn't always make sense to me why some relationships seem to last and others don't but I guess I don't see enough of how they work as a couple outside of the common room and dining hall. I don't want to seem like a stalker. Some relationships are easy to predict though. Oliver our quidditch captain has no trouble getting a date to Hogwarts but his dates all leave the castle looking giggly and pretty and come back looking happy but a few days later they drop him in frustration, he doesn't make any time for them other than to Hogsmeade, the rest of the time he's training or going to bed early so he can get up early and train. He needs a girlfriend as obsessed with quidditch as he is but none of the girls on the team are interested and he'd consider it a betrayal to even think about the girls on the other teams. Angelina dumps the boys before they get a chance to dump her, she's really pretty so there's always a new one a few days later no matter how badly she treats them. Ron's brother Percy never seems to have a girlfriend, he doesn't really seem to have friends either, he's always studying. One of the other boys a seventh year I think is dead gone on his girlfriend, they're always together, and I don't know how they get any study done staring in her eyes all the time, his friends tease him about it non stop. I can't really picture myself being silly over a girl like that but I suppose I'm too young, I certainly don't want to kiss or do things with any of the girls I know. Seamus' has got a magazine full of pictures of naked women it's not magical so the pictures don't move that goodness, it was embarrassing enough looking at them while they are still. I don't know how they could stand to be photographed like that.

Your friend always

Harry

A/N: Thank you to all those who reviewed followed or favourited this story for your support.