Charmolypi

Chapter 137

Thea and Harry returned to the Gryffindor common room one evening after training, cold and stiff but pleased with the way practice had gone, to find the room buzzing excitedly.

"What's happened?" Harry asked Ron and Hermione, who were sitting in two of the best chairs by the fireside and completing some star charts for Astronomy.

"First Hogsmeade weekend," said Ron, pointing at a notice that had appeared on the battered old bulletin board. "End of October. Halloween."

"Oh that's wonderful! We get to see your first Hogsmeade trip," Lily said happily, smiling at her son, who was returning a slight smile.

"He didn't get his permission slip signed," James told Lily with a frown. "I consent to him going to Hogsmeade from now," he announced to the headmaster and the head of house.

"I'm sure we can find a solution in the years to come, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore assured him. James looked at the older man suspiciously, not sure what to say to that.

"It's like he's implying they're still going to die," Thea whispered to Percy, watching the headmaster with caution. Percy, realizing what she meant, nodded in agreement.

"Excellent," said Fred, who had followed Thea through the portrait hole. "I need to visit Zonko's. I'm nearly out of Stink Pellets."

"Oh I have a few prank ideas," Thea told Fred excitedly.

"Could I help with that?" Helios asked, appearing next to Fred and Thea. "What smells so bad?" he asked sniffing the air and made an extremely disgusted facial expression when his nose landed on Thea.

"I had Quidditch practice, what's your excuse?" Thea snapped back jokingly.

"Helios is the less insane version of Thea," George quickly said.

"Everyone is less insane when you compare them to Thea," Jason said, as if he was explaining what the politically correct term of a word would be.

"I mean, he's not wrong," Thea shrugged, a proud smile on her face.

Harry threw himself into a chair beside Ron, his high spirits ebbing away. Hermione seemed to read his mind.

"Harry, I'm sure you'll be able to go next time," she said. "They're bound to catch Black soon. He's been sighted once already."

"Black's not fool enough to try anything in Hogsmeade," said Ron. "Ask McGonagall if you can go this time, Harry. The next one might not be for ages —"

"Ron!" said Hermione. "Harry's supposed to stay in school —"

"Because that's going to happen," Marlene scoffed, only to receive a glare from the redhead beside her.

"Really marls?" Lily commented, slightly fed up. "He could be in danger!"

"I wouldn't hurt Harry or Thea. Anyone for that matter," Sirius quickly said, offended by Lily's fear that he would hurt her son.

"He can't be the only third year left behind," Ron protested, not liking that his best friend was left out. "Ask McGonagall, go on, Harry —"

"Yeah, I think I will," said Harry, making up his mind.

"Do you want me to come with you when you do?" Thea asked, as she started to undo her braids, getting ready to shower.

Hermione opened her mouth to argue, but at that moment Crookshanks leapt lightly onto her lap. A large, dead spider was dangling from his mouth.