Emma Potter

68: Suspicious Surprises [Pt. 2]

There was something engraved in the box;

You need to play a particular tune on this flute. While thinking of a name of a person. Depending on the tune you can either A- Listen to their thoughts or B- Know their true feelings. Mind it'll only work if you care about that person.

It must have cost a lot! I hadn't seen that anywhere.  Its handle glittered as I picked itup. I could feel it vibrating in my hand. I ripped apart the box's wrappings. 

"Nothing!" I thought, as I put it back in the box? "Blimey, who'd spend that much on me?""Well," I though, feeling stunned, as I changed "I'm betting it wasn't theDursleys."I hid the box. 

I walked to the great Hall to hear Ron saying. 

"I bet it was Dumbledore," said Ron,  "He sent you theInvisibility Cloak anonymously. . . ." 

"That was my dad's, though," said Harry. "Dumbledore was justpassing it on to me. He wouldn't spend hundreds of Galleons onme. He can't go giving students stuff like this —" 

"What stuff?" I asked.

"Harry's gotten a firebolt!" Hermione who was coming down behind them, gasped. I froze "who gave it to you?" I asked.

"No note."

"That's why he wouldn't say it was from him!" said Ron, before I could grill him further. "In casesome git like Malfoy said it was favoritism. Hey, Harry" — Ron gavea great whoop of laughter — "Malfoy! Wait till he sees you on this!He'll be sick as a pig! This is an international standard broom, this is!"

I wasn't listening. But if Harry had gotten an anonymous gift as well then--

"I know," said Ron, controlling himself, "I know who it could'vebeen — Lupin!"

 "What?" said Harry, now starting to laugh himself. "Lupin? Listen, if he had this much gold, he'd be able to buy himself some newrobes."

 "Yeah, but he likes you," said Ron. "And he was away when yourNimbus got smashed, and he might've heard about it and decidedto visit Diagon Alley and get this for you —"

 "What d'you mean, he was away?" said Harry. "He was ill whenI was playing in that match." 

"Well, he wasn't in the hospital wing," said Ron. "I was there,cleaning out the bedpans on that detention from Snape, remember?" 

Harry frowned at Ron."I can't see Lupin affording something like this." 

"Or like what I got?" I whispered. 

"What?" asked Harry "what did you get?" asked Ron.

"A flute" I said "magical." I didn't tell them what it does for a reason.

Ron raised an eyebrow "sounds far fetched."

"Even my mother's necklace sounds far fetched." I snapped "that worked."

"Oh, Harry, Emma! Who sent you that?" Asked Hermione

"No idea," said Harry. "There wasn't a card or anything with it. Was it with you? "

"No."

 To my great surprise, Hermione did not appear either excited orintrigued by the news. On the contrary, her face fell, and she bither lip. 

"What's the matter with you?" said Ron.

 "I don't know," said Hermione slowly, "but it's a bit odd, isn't it?I mean, this is supposed to be quite a good broom, isn't it? And the flute"Ron sighed exasperatedly."It's the best broom there is, Hermione," he said.