The Eye of the Storm

Drama

"Ah," said Harry. "Well — you don't mind it's over, do you?"

"No," Ron admitted. "It was pretty bad while she was yelling, but at least I didn't have to finish it."

"Coward," said Hermione, though she looked amused.

"It wasn't right to lead Lav I'm like that," I said to Ron.

"Why do you care?" asked Ron. "She hates you."

I ignored the sting and squared my shoulders. "She was my best friend for a long time. It isn't right to do that to anyone."

"Well, it was a bad night for romance all around. Ginny and Dean split up too, Harry," said Hermione.

Harry tried hard to conceal his satisfaction, and failed miserably. "How come?"

"Oh, something really silly . . . She said he was always trying to help her through the portrait hole, like she couldn't climb in herself . . . but they've been a bit rocky for ages."

"What d'you mean?" said Harry quickly. I rolled my eyes.

"The Quidditch team," said Hermione. "If Ginny and Dean aren't speaking . . ."

"Oh — oh yeah," said Harry.

"Flitwick," said Ron in a warning tone. The tiny little Charms master was bobbing his way toward us.

"Now, now, boys," squeaked Professor Flitwick reproachfully. "A little less talk, a little more action . . . Let me see you try. . . ."
Together they raised their wands, concentrating with all their might, and pointed them at their flasks. Harry's vinegar turned to ice; Ron's flask exploded.
"Yes . . . for homework," said Professor Flitwick, reemerging from under the table and pulling shards of glass out of the top of his hat, "practice."

That night in the common room, I stumbled into a conversation at the wrong time.

"I'm not defending what I did!" said Harry quickly. I quickly walked over too the table the fireplace Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Harry were sitting at.

It was late and no one else was there.

"I wish I hadn't done it, and not just because I've got about a dozen deten- tions. You know I wouldn't've used a spell like that, not even on Malfoy, but you can't blame the Prince, he hadn't written 'try this out, it's really good' — he was just making notes for himself, wasn't he, not for anyone else. . . ."

"What happened?" I asked as I sat down.

"Harry and Malfoy dueled in the bathroom,
And Harry got detention every Saturday."

"Harry used a spell from the book and it turned out to be dark magic," added Hermione

"It wasn't the books fault," said Harry.

"That is beside the point. Why did you use a spell if you had no idea what it would do?"

Harry opened his mouth and closed it again, staring at me.

"The book has loads of useful things in it," said Harry finally.

"Are you telling me," said Hermione, "that you're going to go back — ?"

"And get the book? Yeah, I am," said Harry forcefully. "Listen, without the Prince I'd never have won the Felix Felicis. I'd never have known how to save Ron from poisoning, I'd never have —"

"— got a reputation for Potions brilliance you don't deserve," said Hermione nastily.

While I knew Hermione was jealous, her point was valid.

"Give it a rest, Hermione!" said Ginny, and Harry was so amazed, so grateful, he looked up. "By the sound of it, Malfoy was trying to use an Unforgivable Curse, you should be glad Harry had something good up his sleeve!"

My chest constricted. Malfoy couldn't really have tried that. Could he?

"Well, of course I'm glad Harry wasn't cursed!" said Hermione, clearly stung. "But you can't call that Sectumsempra spell good, Ginny, look where it's landed him! And I'd have thought, seeing what this has done to your chances in the match —"

"Oh, don't start acting as though you understand Quidditch," snapped Ginny, "you'll only embarrass yourself."

Harry, Ron and I stared: Hermione and Ginny, who had always got on together very well, were now sitting with their arms folded, glaring in opposite directions. Ron looked nervously at Harry, then snatched up a book at random and hid behind it.

Whatever Harry might have told Hermione, I could tell he was miserable. The Gryffindor team was furious when they were told they wouldn't have their Captain or normal Seeker the next match. Ginny was elected to take Harry's place. The team knew I could work twice as hard and make up for Ginny's absence.

The crazy thing was: we won. We beat Slytherin without a Captain and without our normal Seeker. A raging party was thrown in the Gryffindor Common Room. Soon Harry entered the common room looking defeated.

Harry gaped as people began to scream at the sight of him; several hands pulled him into the room.

"We won!" yelled Ron, bounding into sight and brandishing the silver Cup at Harry. "We won! Four hundred and fifty to a hundred and forty! We won!"

Ginny ran toward him; she had a hard, blazing look in her face as she threw her arms around him.

Harry kissed her.

I gaped, then a smile started to form on my face.

The room had gone very quiet. Then several people wolf-whistled and there was an outbreak of nervous giggling. Dean Thomas held a shattered glass in his hand, and Romilda Vane looking as though she might throw something. Hermione was beaming. She turned to me and gave me a knowing look.

Another person had coupled up.

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Hey Everyone, sorry this update took so long. I have been traveling.

Forever and Always,

Me.