sleepovers, quidditch and page 394
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The Gryffindors were sent to the Great Hall by Dumbledore. They were joined by the other houses 10 minutes later, all looking extremely confused.
''The Hogwarts staff and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle,'' Dumbledore said as Professors McGonagall and Flitwick closed all door to the Great Hall.
''I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbance should be reported to me immediately.'' He added to Percy, who was looking very proud and important, ''send word with one of the ghosts.''
Dumbledore paused, about to leave the hall, and said, ''Oh, yes, you'll be needing these.''
He waved his wand and the long tables were lined up against the walls, in their place was hundreds of purple sleeping bags.
''Sleep well,'' he said, closing the door behind him.
The hall immediately filled with chatter; the Gryffindors telling everyone what had happened.
''Everyone into their sleeping bags!'' shouted Percy. ''Come on now, no more talking! Lights out in 10 minutes!''
The quartet took off towards four sleeping bags in the corner. Once they layed down, Hermione whispered anxiously, ''Do you think Black's still in the castle?''
''Dumbledore obviously thinks he might be,'' said Ron.
''It's very lucky he picked tonight, you know,'' said Hermione, as they propped themselves onto their elbows to talk.
''Why?'' said Y/N.
''It's the one night we weren't in the tower,'' Hermione replied.
"I reckon he's lost track of time, being on the run," said Ron. "Didn't realise it was Halloween. Otherwise he'd have come bursting in here."
"Well, at least we've got a new Halloween story to tell," said Y/N, putting her hands up as if she were reading an imaginary sign. " 'A mass murderer breaks into a school, most likely trying to kill the most famous kid there.' That sounds nice. And we're at a sleepover. It's perfect!"
"Y/N, you're my best friend, you really are- nothing personal, Ron- but sometimes it's better to keep quiet."
---
After a while, the whole hall suddenly became conspiracy theorists- or something. They were all asking the same question;
'How did he get in?'
"Maybe he knows how to apparate," said a Ravenclaw a few feet away. "Just appear out of thin air, you know."
"Disguised himself, probably," said a Hufflepuff fifth-year.
"He could've flown in," suggested Dean Thomas.
"Honestly, am I the only person who's ever bothered to read Hogwarts, A History?" said Hermione crossly.
"Probably," said Ron. "Why?"
"Because the castle's protected by more than walls, you know," said Hermione.
"Yeah," said Y/N. "We've got nightmarish Sesame Street puppets outside."
A few people laughed, while Hermione continued on like nothing was said by Y/N.
"There are all sorts of enchantments on it, to stop people entering by stealth. You can't just apparate in here. And I'd like to see the disguise that could fool those Dementors."
"Maybe he'll disguise himself as a furry," Y/N whispered to Harry and Ron, who replied with hushed laughter.
"Lights are going out now!" Percy shouted. "I want everyone in their sleeping bags and no more talking!"
The candles went out at once.
The only light now came from the silvery ghosts and the enchanted starry ceiling.
Y/N couldn't sleep. She didn't know why, she just couldn't. She wasn't thinking about anything, just staring off into nothing.
Whatever thoughts she might've been having were interrupted by Harry, who noticed she was staring into space for an unsettling amount of time.
"Hey, are you ok?"
"What? Yeah," she said, slightly startled. "Why?"
"It's just that you've been staring at the ceiling for what feels like ages," said Harry. "Kinda creepy."
"Sorry, can't sleep," said Y/N.
"So, how's Hogwarts?" Harry asked. He may have forgotten to ask her in the last two months, but she seemed to be enjoying it.
"Better than my old school, that's for sure," Y/N said. "A lot more interesting things happen here."
"Well, it's about to get a lot more interesting with the first Quidditch match soon," he said. "And next year, Oliver Wood won't be here, and I'm pretty sure some of the girls are resigning because of their exams, so you can try out!"
"You're really funny, Harry. Absolutely hilarious you are," said Y/N. "I'm not gonna try out for a sport I don't even know how to play."
"But I told you all about it. Besides, it'd be fun. I'll even buy you a broom!"
"Even if I did, you're not gonna spend more money on me. You already bought all the shit I needed for school, and that was expensive. You're not gonna buy me a broom-"
The door to the Great Hall opened and Dumbledore walked in.
Y/N and Harry pretended to be asleep as he walked by them.
"Any sign of him, Professor?" asked Percy in a whisper.
"No. All well here?"
"Everything under control, sir."
"Good. There's no point in moving them now. I've found a temporary guardian for the Gryffindor portrait hole. You'll be able to move them back in tomorrow."
"And the Fat Lady, sir?"
"Hiding in a map of Argyllshire on the second floor. Apparently she refused to let Black in without the password, so he attacked. She's still very distressed, but once she's calmed down, I'll have Mr Filch restore her."
Harry and Y/N heard the door of the hall creak open again, and more footsteps.
"Headmaster?" It was Snape. Y/N and Harry kept still and quiet. "The whole of the third floor has been searched. He's not there. And Filch has done the dungeons; nothing there either."
"What about the Astronomy Tower? Professor Trelawney's room? The Owlery?"
"All searched."
"Very well, Severus. I didn't expect Black to linger."
"Have you any theory as to how he got in, Professor?" asked Snape.
"Many, Severus, each of them as unlikely as the next."
"You remember the conversation we had, Headmaster, just before the start of term?" said Snape, barely opening his lips trying to block Percy out of the conversation.
"I do, Severus," said Dumbledore, with something like warning in his voice.
"It seems- almost impossible- that Black could have entered the school without inside help. I did express my concerns when you appointed-"
"I do not believe a single person inside this castle would have helped Black enter it," said Dumbledore, and his tone made it so clear that the subject was closed that Snape didn't reply.
"I must go down to the Dementors," said Dumbledore. "I said I would inform them when our search was complete."
"Didn't they want to help, sir?" said Percy.
"Oh yes," said Dumbledore coldly. "But I'm afraid no Dementor will cross the threshold of this castle while I am Headmaster."
And with that, Dumbledore left the hall, walking quickly and quietly.
Snape stood for a moment, watching the Headmaster with an expression of deep resentment on his face, then he, too, left.
Harry and Y/N glanced at each other, both knew what the other was trying to say;
'What was that all about?'
---
Many things happened in the next few days.
Hogwarts was playing a huge game of telephone about theories on how Sirius Black got in.
Sir Cadogan replaced the Fat Lady much to the Gryffindor's dismay.
Harry had the teachers and Percy as his personal bodyguards.
And Snape was subbing for Professor Lupin in Defence Against the Dark Arts.
Wait- what?
The door opened and Harry dashed inside. "Sorry I'm late, Professor Lupin, I-"
"This lesson began 10 minutes ago, Potter, so I think we'll make it 10 points from Gryffindor," said Snape. "Sit down."
But Harry didn't move.
"Where's Professor Lupin?" he asked.
"He says he is feeling too ill to teach today," said Snape. "I believe I told you to sit down?"
But Harry stayed where he was.
"What's wrong with him?"
'For fucks sake, Harry. Just sit down'
Y/N thought.
"Nothing life-threatening," said Snape, looking as though he wished it was. "5 more points from Gryffindor, and if I have to ask you to sit down again, it will be 50."
Harry slowly walked to his seat and sat down next to Y/N as Snape looked around at the class.
"As I was saying before Potter interrupted, Professor Lupin has not left any record of the topics you have covered so far-"
"Please, sir, we've done Boggarts, Red Caps, Kappas and Grindylows," said Hermione quickly, "and we're just about to start-"
"Be quiet," said Snape coldly. "I did not ask for information. I was merely commenting on Professor Lupin's lack of organisation."
"Well, if he was sick, how would he have time to organise?" said Y/N.
Snape ignored her.
"He's the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had," said Dean Thomas, and the class murmured with agreement.
"You are easily satisfied. Lupin is hardly over-taxing you- I would expect first-years to be able to deal with Red Caps and Grindylows. Today we shall discuss-" Snape flicked through the textbook, all the way to the last chapter. "-werewolves," he said.
"But, sir," said Hermione, "we're not supposed to do werewolves yet, we're due to start Hinkypunks-"
"Miss Granger," said Snape, in a voice of deadly calm, "I was under the impression that I was taking this lesson, not you. And I am telling you all to turn to page 394." He glanced around again. "All of you! Now!"
The class opened their books, but not without any bitter mumbling.
"Which one of you can tell me how we distinguish between the werewolf and the true wolf?" said Snape.
Everyone sat in motionless silence; everyone except Hermione, whose hand, as it often did, had shot straight into the air.
"Anyone?" said Snape, ignoring Hermione. "Are you telling me that Professor Lupin hasn't even taught you the basic distinction between-"
"We've told you," said Parvati suddenly, "we haven't got as far as werewolves yet, we're still on-"
"Silence!" snarled Snape. "Well, well, well, I never thought I'd meet a third-year class who wouldn't even recognise a werewolf when they saw one. I shall make a point of informing Professor Dumbledore how very behind you all are-"
"Do you have selective hearing or something?" said Y/N. "We. Don't. Know. Anything. About. Werewolves," she added, pausing after every word.
"Silence, Miss Lestrange," said Snape, with a cold glare towards Y/N.
"Please, sir," said Hermione, whose hand was still in the air, "the werewolf differs from the true wolf in several small ways. The snout of the werewolf-"
"That is the second time you have spoken out of turn, Miss Granger," said Snape. "Are you incapable of restraining yourself or do you take pride in being an insufferable know-it-all."
Hermione went very red, put her hand down and stared at the floor with tears in her eyes.
Harry was about to tell Y/N not to say anything that would get her in trouble- but more so explode something, but it was Ron, who told Hermione she was a know-it-all at least twice a week, said loudly, "You asked us a question and she knows the answer! Why ask if you don't want to be told?"
The class knew instantly he'd gone too far. Snape turned to look at Ron slowly, and the room held its breath.
"Detention, Weasley," said Snape. "And if I ever hear you criticise the way I teach a class again, you will be very sorry indeed."
No one made a sound throughout the rest of the lesson. They sat and made notes on werewolves from the textbook, while Snape prowled up and down the rows of desks, examining the work they had been doing with Professor Lupin.
"Very poorly explained... that is incorrect, the Kappa is more commonly found in Mongolia... Professor Lupin gave this 8/10? I wouldn't have given it a 3..."
When the bell rang at last, Snape held them back.
"You will each write an essay, to be handed in to me, on the ways you recognise and kill werewolves. I want two rolls of parchment on the subject, and I want them by Monday morning. It is time somebody took this class in hand. Weasley, stay behind, we need to arrange your detention."
Y/N, Harry and Hermione left the room with the rest of the class, who waited until they were out of earshot, then burst into a furious rant about Snape.
"Snape's never been like this with any of our other Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers, even if he did want the job," Harry said to them. "Why's he got it in for Lupin? D'you think this is all because of the Boggart?"
"I don't know," said Hermione. "But I really hope Professor Lupin gets better soon."
Ron caught up with them 5 minutes later, in a towering rage.
"D'you know what that greasy-haired asshole is making me do?"
"Ron!" scolded Hermione.
"I'm so proud of you," said Y/N, with a smile on her face.
"I've got to scrub out the bedpans in the hospital wing. Without magic! He was breathing deeply, his fists clenched. "Why couldn't Black have hidden in Snape's office, eh? He could have finished him off for us!"
---
For once in her life, Y/N was up early- well, she was up before Hermione. But nevertheless, this was an accomplishment for her.
She had a plan; get that book with all the wizarding families in it that Ron was talking about.
She got dressed and went down the stairs to the common room.
When she exited the portrait hole, Sir Cadogan yelled, "Do not leave without a fight! Show your worth!"
"You are a 2D picture on a piece of paper," said Y/N. "Who's gonna win that fight?"
"You are brave, fair lady. But I have the most powerful sword across the land!" the portrait exclaimed.
"I have scissors and a glass of water," Y/N said before making her way to the library.
Surprisingly enough, Y/N didn't get lost inside of Hogwarts. Mostly because she was with her friends who actually knew their way around.
Now she was trying to find the library, alone.
If there were security cameras at Hogwarts, they would think Y/N was possessed by the amount of times she randomly turned and walked in the opposite direction of the way she was originally going.
After a lot of walking, she made it to the library and was met with a sign on the door that read;
Hogwarts Library
9am - 11pm
'No. Fucking. Way," Y/N thought. 'The one time I actually want to go to the library and it's closed?'
Y/N didn't even know what time it was but she decided to go down to the Great Hall and see if anyone was there.
After another while of trying to find her way around, she made it to the Great Hall.
Lo and behold; Harry was there.
She walked over and sat down beside him.
"What are you doing up so early?" he asked.
"I don't even know myself," said Y/N. "I woke up before Hermione, don't know how that happened."
"You excited for the Quidditch match?" Harry said with a smile.
"Yeah, I can't wait to see you fall off your broom," Y/N said jokingly.
"That's not going to happen," said Harry. "And take notes for when you try out next year."
"You're still going on about that?"
"Yep."
After a few minutes passed, the rest of the Gryffindor team turned up in the Great Hall.
"It's going to be a tough one," said Oliver Wood.
"Stop worrying, Oliver," said Alicia Spinnet, "we don't mind a bit of rain."
It was more than a bit of rain.
By the time the school even stepped outside the castle, they looked like the just jumped in the Black Lake.
Y/N, Ron and Hermione were in the stands with the rest of Gryffindor house, wearing their house colours;
scarlet and gold.
Y/N had no idea how the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff teams were going to fly around on broomsticks in this weather.
The two teams stepped out onto the pitch. The Gryffindor team in scarlet robes, and the Hufflepuff team in yellow robes.
The captains walked up to each other and shook hands.
"Mount your brooms!" Madam Hooch shouted as the teams mounted their brooms.
She blew her whistle and the players rose into the air.
"And they're off!" Lee Jordan said into the microphone.
"We can't really see this match now, can we? Well, how's everybody's day going? How about you Professor," Lee said, turning to Professor McGonagall. "You doing alright?"
"I'm fine, Jordan," said Professor McGonagall.
"Good to hear that, Professor."
The teams were just flying around, not able to see anything. There were a good few times where they flew into each other.
There was a flash of lightning and Madam Hooch blew her whistle.
Both teams flew back down to the ground when Wood called a time out.
"I'll be back in a minute," said Hermione as she got out of her seat and went down the stairs towards the pitch.
"Where's she going?" said Ron.
"I don't know," said Y/N. "I hope she's bringing back snacks. I'm going to need some popcorn in case Harry falls off his broom."
"You should've seen the time he broke his arm!" Ron laughed. "Dead funny it was!"
"Didn't he swallow the Snitch or something?" Y/N said.
"Oh yeah! That was his first Quidditch match. I hope they threw out that Snitch. I wouldn't like to be the one catching it after that," said Ron.
"I'm back," Hermione said, reclaiming her seat beside Y/N.
"Where's the popcorn?" said Ron.
"And the M&Ms," said Y/N.
Hermione looked at them with a confused expression on her face.
"I was helping our friend."
"You could have been helping us if you brought us something back from your secret stash of sweets I know you have," said Y/N.
"Y/N, Harry's half blind. There was no way he was going to see in that," Hermione said, pointing out to the weather.
"I just wanted some drama with Harry falling off his broom but I guess he'll be fine," said Y/N.
The players were back onto the pitch and soon took off into the air.
There was more thunder and more lightning. The rain was falling heavier than ever.
There was yet another flash of lightning, but this time, there was a weird shape in the sky.
It became very cold all of a sudden.
"The wind's getting fairly strong now," said Hermione. "It's freezing-"
"Look!" said Ron, pointing at the pitch.
But he was mostly pointing to the hundreds of Dementors flying above the pitch.
"What are they doing here?" said Hermione.
While her friends were focusing on the Dementors, Y/N noticed two things falling out of the sky.
One was a broomstick, heading towards a tree.
The other, was its owner, who looked all too familiar to Y/N.
"Is- is that Harry?!"
---
"Lucky the ground was so soft."
"I thought he was dead for sure."
"But he didn't even break his glasses."
"He looks a bit peaky."
"A bit peaky?! He just fell over 50 feet!"
"Yeah, Ron. Let's walk you off the Astronomy Tower, see if you look a bit peaky."
"So, do I get anything for predicting the future or..."
"Shush, Y/N! He's awake!"
Hermione, as per usual, was right. Harry was awake, lying in a bed in the hospital wing.
The Gryffindor Quidditch was there, splattered with mud from head to toe.
Y/N, Ron and Hermione were also there, looking as though they'd just climbed out of a swimming pool.
"Harry!" said Fred, who was looking extremely white underneath the mud. "How're you feeling?"
Harry didn't say anything at first. It took him a moment before he asked, "What happened?"
"You fell off," said Fred. "Must've been, what? 50 feet?"
"We thought you died," said Alicia, who was shaking.
"But the match," said Harry. "What happened? Are we having a replay?"
No one said anything, yet Harry understood perfectly what they wanted to tell him.
"We didn't- lose?"
"Diggory got the Snitch," said George. "Just after you fell. He didn't realise what had happened. When he looked back and saw you on the ground, he tried to call it off. Wanted a re-match. But they won fair and square... even Wood admits it."
"Where is Wood?" said Harry, suddenly realising he wasn't there.
"Still in the showers," said Fred. "We think he's trying to drown himself."
Harry put his face to his knees, his hands gripping his hair.
Fred grabbed his shoulder and shook it roughly. "C'mon, Harry, you've never missed the Snitch before."
"There had to be one time you didn't get it," said George.
"It's not over yet," said Fred. "We lost by 100 points, right? So if Hufflepuff lose to Ravenclaw and we beat Ravenclaw and Slytherin..."
"Hufflepuff'll have to lose by at least 200 points," said George.
"But if they beat Ravenclaw..."
"No way, Ravenclaw are too good. But if Slytherin lose against Hufflepuff..."
"It all depends on the points- a margin of 100 either way-"
Everyone just stared at the twins.
"I don't even think you guys knew what you were talking about," said
Y/N.
After about 10 minutes, Madam Pomfrey told the team they needed to leave.
"We'll come see you later," Fred told Harry. "Don't beat yourself up, Harry, you're still the best Seeker we've had."
"Dumbledore was really angry," said Hermione. "I've never seen him like that before. He ran onto the pitch as you fell, waved his wand, and you sort of slowed down before you hit the ground. Then he whirled his wand at the Dementors. Shot silver stuff at them. They left the stadium straight away... he was furious they'd come into the grounds, we heard him-"
"Then he magicked you onto a stretcher," said Ron. "And walked up to school with you floating on it. Everyone thought you were..." His voice faded away at the ending sentence.
"Did someone get my Nimbus?" Harry asked.
Ron and Hermione looked at Y/N.
"Oh, yeah! Let the person who told everyone Harry was about to die make him even more depressed!" Y/N said.
"What?" said Harry, looking at all three of them.
Ron and Hermione stayed quiet.
"You fucking assholes," Y/N said as she went off to the side to get something.
"What's going on?" said Harry.
"When you fell of your broom, it got blown away," Y/N said from the other side of the room.
"And?"
"And," she said, bringing over something wrapped in a large cloth, "it hit the- it hit the Whomping Willow."
She placed the cloth on Harry's lap. "Sorry, Harry."
"You know the Whomping Willow," said Ron, finally speaking. "It- it doesn't like being hit."
"Professor Flitwick brought it back just before you came round," said Hermione, also finally speaking.
Harry opened the cloth to find the splintered remains of his first broomstick, finally beaten.
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3925 words
*turns on camera*
"Hey guys.
I need to take accountability for my actions.
From the bottom of my heart, I am truly sorry in the way I've hurt you all, by uploading a day late.
*sniffles and single tear wipes*
Please do not cancel me, I will try to learn from my mistakes and keep to an actual upload schedule.
Thank you."
Not me making a fucking youtuber apology 💀
Sorry I didn't upload yesterday, I was busy, and I'm about to tell you why :))))
Everyone, I would like you to meet Bruno
This is my son and if you don't like him you can leave 😃
Also, I rewatched Goblet of Fire last week, (which is my favourite book and movie in the whole series) and I'm SO excited to write GOF, I've got SO many plans for it. Just gotta plough through POA first
And I may or may not have laughed during Cedric's death BUT YOU CAN'T PROVE ANYTHING
So yeah,
Have a good day my friends!
-zoey (& bruno)