Black and Potter | H. Potter

33 ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆ the yule ball.

"No, I mean, they're different to how they were before he put that hex on you. . . . They're all . . . straight and — and normal sized."

Hermione suddenly smiled very mischievously. It was, indeed, a very different smile from the one they remembered. Ara said nothing, Hermione had long told her about how she'd tricked Madam Pomfrey into making them as small and straight as she'd liked. Ara had almost shed a tear from how proud she was of her friend's schemes.

"Well . . . when I went up to Madam Pomfrey to get them shrunk, she held up a mirror and told me to stop her when they were back to how they normally were," she said. "And I just . . . let her carry on a bit." She smiled even more widely. "Mum and Dad won't be too pleased. I've been trying to persuade them to let me shrink them for ages, but they wanted me to carry on with my braces. You know, they're dentists, they just don't think teeth and magic should — look! Pigwidgeon's back!"

Ron's tiny owl was twittering madly on the top of the icicle-laden bannisters, two scrolls of parchment tied to his leg. People passing him were pointing and laughing, and a group of third-year girls paused and said, "Oh look at the weeny owl! Isn't he cute?"

"Stupid little feathery git!" Ron hissed, hurrying up the stairs and snatching up Pigwidgeon. "You bring letters to the addressee! You don't hang around showing off!"

Pigwidgeon hooted happily, his head protruding over Ron's fist. The third-year girls all looked very shocked.

"Clear off!" Ron snapped at them, waving the fist holding Pigwidgeon, who hooted more happily than ever as he soared through the air. "Here — take them, Ria, Harry," Ron added in an undertone as the third-year girls scuttled away looking scandalised. They pulled Sirius's replies off Pigwidgeon's leg, Ara put her letter inside her jacket as Harry pocketed his, and they hurried back to Gryffindor Tower to read them.

Everyone in the common room was much too busy letting off more holiday steam to observe what anyone else was up to. Ara, Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat apart from everyone else by a dark window that was gradually filling up with snow, and Harry read aloud:

Dear Harry,

Congratulations on getting past the Horntail. Whoever put your name in that goblet shouldn't be feeling too happy right now! I was going to suggest a Conjunctivitis Curse, as a dragon's eyes are its weakest point — "That's what Krum did!" Hermione whispered — but your way was better, I'm impressed.

Don't get complacent, though, Harry. You've only done one task; whoever put you in for the tournament's got plenty more opportunity if they're trying to hurt you. Keep your eyes open — particularly when the person we discussed is around — and concentrate on keeping yourself out of trouble. Keep in touch, I still want to hear about anything unusual.

Sirius

"He sounds exactly like Moody," said Harry quietly, tucking the letter away again inside his robes. " 'Constant vigilance!' You'd think I walk around with my eyes shut, banging off the walls. . . ."

"But he's right, Harry," said Hermione, "You have still got two tasks to do. You really ought to have a look at that egg, you know, and start working out what it means. . . ."

"I have to agree with Hermione on this," said Ara, tucking her fallen hair behind her ears. "You should really start thinking about figuring that egg out, as annoying as you are, we don't want you dying."

"Thanks for the sentiment, Nyx."

"Any time."

"But he's got ages!" snapped Ron. "Want a game of chess, Harry?"

"Yeah, okay," said Harry. Then, spotting the look on Ara and Hermione's faces, he said, "Come on, how am I supposed to concentrate with all this noise going on? I won't even be able to hear the egg over this lot."