Harry was Free! I felt such great joy that I did a Cartwheel in the Courtroom and didn't care who judged me.
I went with my brothers outside the Courtroom to see Mr. Weasley and Lizzie standing outside.
"So? What happened?" Lizzie asked.
"Dumbledore didn't say-" Mr. Weasley said.
"Harry's been cleared of all charges." I answered happily.
"He has?" Mr. Weasley asked.
"All cleared." Ethan answered grinning. "Kassie even did a Cartwheel."
That was when we saw Harry pull the door closed behind him. "Cleared. Cleared of all charges!"
Mr. Weasley seized Harry by the shoulders and beaming. "Harry! That's wonderful! Well, of course, the couldn't have found you guilty, not on the evidence, but even so, I can't pretend I wasn't-"
"Harry!" I ran over and hugged Harry. "I was so worried that you would- I thought they would-"
"I'm fine, Kassie. Don't worry." Harry assured. "They've cleared me of all charges."
"I know. I was there." I replied.
"I never doubted you for a second, Harry Potter." Saahira commented.
"How you feeling, Harry?" Ethan asked walking up.
"Fine." Harry answered. "Thanks for having my back in there."
"No way were we going to let this be a Kangaroo Court." Jacob said. "Even if you had been found Guilty, we would've broken you out of Azkaban."
"Really?" Harry asked.
"Yeah. Not to mention that Sirius would give us some pointers too." Ethan answered. "I wouldn't have been surprised if he was willing to swim all the way to Azkaban to see you again."
"Saahira... My Lady..." Harry said hesitantly trying to remember his manners. "How did you do that? With the Dementor and commanding it to leave?"
But before Saahira could say anything. The courtroom door open again, and the Remaining Wizengamot begin to file out.
"Not here." Saahira said. "I'll discuss it later."
"Merlin's Beard!" Mr. Weasley exclaimed, pulling Harry aside to let them pass. "You were tried by the full court?!"
"I think so." Harry answered.
"He was." Ethan clarified.
A few of the Witches gave Mr. Weasley, and my brothers nods and greetings, including Madam Bones. But most averted their eyes. Particularly, Fudge, Percy (the little rotten bugger didn't even look at his Pater), Umbridge and others.
"Let's get back and tell the others the good news." Ethan suggested.
"I'll drop you off on the way to the toilet in Bethnal Green. Come on..." Mr. Weasley informed.
"So, what will you do about the toilet?" Harry asked.
"Oh, it's a simple enough anti jinx." Mr. Weasley explained as we climbed up the stairs. And Ethan and Jacob levitated. "But it's not so much having to repair the damage, it's more the attitude behind the vandalism, Harry. Muggle-baiting might strike some wizards as funny, but it's an expression of something much deeper and nastier, and I for one-"
Mr. Weasley broke off mid sentence. We reached the ninth level corridor and Fudge was standing a few feet away, talking quietly to a man with sleek blonde hair and a pointed, pale face.
"You." I sneered at Lucius Malfoy.
Malfoy turned at the sound of our footsteps. I hadn't seen him since the Graveyard. And yet here he was, just in the Ministry like he owned the place.
"Well, well, well... Patronus Potter." Malfoy said coolly.
"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" Ethan asked. "And how soon can you leave?"
"The Minister here was just telling me about your lucky escape, Potter." Malfoy drawled. "Quite astonishing, the way you continue to wiggle out of very tight holes... snakelike, in fact."
"Yeah." Harry replied. "Yeah, I'm good at escaping."
"You're one to talk, Malfoy." I accused. "I haven't forgotten 3 years ago. Or that little stunt back in June. Remember that?"
"Ah, the Little Greek Freak is here as well. And with her Big Brothers no doubt. Scared your friend wouldn't come to school with you?" Malfoy asked.
"Harry is innocent. You're not." I answered.
Ethan then went up to Malfoy. "Kassie told me you were there that night." He warned.
Malfoy looked very smug. "Oh, that."
Ethan took out his Minotaur Wand. "You side with Trotsky, you set the Basilisk loose, you attack my little sister. What's to stop me from killing you, right now?" He asked.
"Go ahead, Bauer." Malfoy smirked. "Kill me. But I'm still a Malfoy and head of the most ancient and noble house in the Wizarding World. You'd kill off one of those members of the Ministry?"
Ethan stood down.
Jacob cracked his knuckles.
"And Barnaby Lee? Is that you? My God! You look like you're a Desert Rat. How the mighty House of Lee has fallen." Malfoy turned to Barnaby.
"The Old House is Dead. So I built a new one." Barnaby replied. "I just uh... haven't really gotten to building it yet. But when I do... it's going to be really big. And really impressive."
Malfoy rolled his eyes. "And Arthur Weasley! What are you doing here, Arthur?"
"I work here." Mr. Weasley answered curtly.
"Those two always have a history." Jacob whispered to Saahira.
"I see." Saahira replied.
"Not here, surely?" Mr. Malfoy raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were up on the second floor... don't you do something that involves sneaking Muggle artifacts home and bewitching them?"
"Don't you do something about working with Dark Wizards and being in their pocket?" Lizzie countered.
"That is none of your concern, Mudblood." Malfoy answered and I could hear the gentle clinking of what sounded like a pocket full of gold. "Really, just because Harry Potter is Dumbledore's favorite boy." He turned to Harry. "You must not expect the same indulgence from the rest of us... shall we go up to your office, then, Minister?"
"Certainly." Fudge walked up and turned his back on us. "This way, Lucius."
The strode off together, talking in their low voices.
"I'm going to get you, Malfoy! Mark my words!" Ethan yelled.
"That guy's got some nerve." I commented.
"If he's got business with Fudge, why wasn't he waiting outside Fudge's Office?" Harry asked furiously.
"Probably trying to sneak down to the Courtrooms. That or Bribe Fudge to see you put in Azkaban." I suggested. "His pockets rattled with gold."
"My thoughts exactly." Mr. Weasley agreed.
"So the Gold was to bribe Fudge to put me in Azkaban?" Harry asked furiously.
"I wouldn't be surprised." Ethan answered.
"But luckily, the money that I had was going to keep you out of Azkaban." Barnaby assured.
"Malfoy's been giving amounts of gold to all sorts of things for years... trying to get in with the right people... then he can ask favors... delay laws he doesn't want to be passed... he's got all these connections. Which is more of a front. Anyone here seen Gangster Movies?" Corey explained as she wheeled up to us. "I'd say his charity is all a front."
The lift arrived, it was empty except for a flock of memos that flapped around our heads as we entered.
That was when Harry had a theory. "If Fudge is meeting with Death Eaters like Malfoy." He said slowly. "If he's seeing them alone, how do we know they haven't put the Imperious Curse on him?"
"It's possible." Jacob replied. "But Dumbledore thinks that Fudge is acting on his own accord at the moment. Malfoy must be meeting with Fudge to make sure the heat stays off him and his friends."
The Doors opened in the Atrium. But Corey stayed behind. "You guys head on back. I'm going to go investigate the Dementor attack. We told Dumbledore we would." Corey said.
"Okay, later." Ethan replied.
Corey nodded.
And we headed back to the Hideout. But not before Harry gave money to the Golden Fountains by the House Elf's Feet.
"I knew it!" Ron yelled punching the air when Harry and I told him the good news back at the Grimmauld Place. "You always get away with stuff!"
"They could never Expel Harry!" I yelled. "Even if they tried to rig the Trial."
"Victory for Justice on this one." Ryan declared as he pulled out a marching band baton and leading a band leading them in a marching cheer.
"Wait, where did all these guys come from?" Harry asked. "Oh right. Toon Magic."
"They were bound to clear you." Hermione commented, who looked positively faint with anxiety. "There was no case against you, none at all."
"They tried to make it one. Everyone seems quite relieved though, considering you all knew I'd get off." Harry said smiling.
Mrs. Weasley was wiping her face on her apron, and Fred, George, and Ginny were doing some kind of war dance chant that went: "He got off, he got off, he got off..."
"That's enough! Settle down!" Mr. Weasley demanded, though he too was smiling.
Anubis was not smiling. "Damn that Ministry and their Trial! There should not have even been a Trial of this Magnitude." He said. "A biased Trial. One to make sure that Harry was guilty when he wasn't. And an innocent soul put in danger." He voice becoming dangerous.
"He got off, he got off, he got off..."
"Steady, Anubis." Ron advised. "What's gotten into you?"
"I can answer that." Horus answered. "See, it's Anubis's job is to see to it that he brings people through the Duat, and to Osiris and weigh their hearts on the scale."
"We know that, Horus. We judged Sirius' heart on it." I reminded.
"And unfair justice... well... let's just say, Anubis has very strong opinions on it." Horus continued.
"It's not opinions, Horus. It is a fact." Anubis countered.
"Sirius, we saw Lucius Malfoy at the Ministry-" Ethan informed.
"What?" Sirius asked sharply.
"He got off, he got off, he got off..."
"Be quiet, you three!" Mr. Weasley demanded. "Yes we saw him talking to Fudge on Level Nine, then they went up to Fudge's office. We'll have to tell Dumbledore."
"Absolutely." Sirius agreed. "We'll tell him."
"He's got balls to show himself in front of me after what he did to Kassie." Ethan commented.
"Well, I'd better get going, there's a vomiting toilet waiting for me in Bethnal Green. Molly, I'll be late, I'm covering for Tonks, but Kingsley might drop in for dinner-" Mr. Weasley started to say.
"He got off, he got off, he got off..."
"That's enough, Fred, George, Ginny, all of you!" Mrs. Weasley demanded as Mr. Weasley left the kitchen. "Harry, dear, come and sit down, have some lunch, you hardly ate breakfast."
Ron, Hermione Ryan and I sat themselves down opposite of Harry, we were all happier than we've looked since we've arrived here the first time. Mater also arrived later and we gave her the news of what happened.
"See. What did I tell you, Kassie? I told you that Harry would be fine." Mater said.
"Of course, once Dumbledore turned up on your side, there was no way they were going to convict you." Ron said happily, now dishing great mounds of mashed potatoes onto our plates. "And Jacob and Ethan helped of course. It was pretty much guaranteed at that point."
"Yeah, he swung it for me." Harry said.
"And my bag of Gold." Barnaby added.
Right as he said that, Harry put his hand up to his scar.
"What's up?" Hermione asked, looking alarmed.
"Scar." Harry mumbled. "But it's nothing... it happens all the time now."
Nobody else seemed to notice. They were all helping themselves to food while gloating over Harry's bullet dodge. Fred, George, and Ginny started singing again. Sirius, and Lupin were laughing together as Ryan was telling them a bunch of Jokes. Hermione looked rather anxious, but Ron spoke before she could voice her concerns.
"I bet Dumbledore will turn up this evening, to celebrate with us, you know." Ron suggested.
"I don't think he'll be able to, Ron." Mrs. Weasley replied as she set a huge plate of Roast Chicken down in front of Harry. "He's really busy at the moment."
My mouth started to water.
"He got off, he got off, he got off..."
"SHUT UP!" Mrs. Weasley roared.
"Hey... Ethan? Who was that woman you and Jacob were going on about in the Courtroom? Umdridge?" Harry asked.
Ethan put his plate down. "Umbridge." He corrected. "The most vile woman to ever work in the Ministry of Magic. Delores Jane Umbridge." The words sounded as if they were poison. At least... that's how I interpreted it as.
"Don't let the pleasant voice and frog face fool you, Harry. That woman is vile, nasty, and the most despicable witch we've ever met. She's ruthless, she's got a smile that could kill puppies." Jacob advised.
"Is she that bad?" Hermione asked concerned.
"Worse." Ethan answered. "That vile bitch insulted our Father, Jacob, called Mum a Mudblood and put her best friend behind bars. And that's just scratching the surface of the horrible things she's done."
"We gave her 2 nicknames. The Toad Wart, and the other, Umbitch." Lizzie explained. "And for good reason."
"Ugh... don't remind me. I hate that woman. And I think Emily hates her too." Ryan commented. "And when Emily hates someone. You know it's bad."
I ate my food. I already didn't like Umbridge after hearing about her from Mater.
"Don't forget about all those things she said about Chiara." Lizzie added.
"Can we please stop talking about her?" Ethan asked.
Harry took that as his initiative. "Saahira... what was that thing you were going to mention-"
"Good question, Harry." Saahira answered. "What I had done was use The Voice."
"The Voice?" I asked.
"The Voice is a type of Mind Hex that allows me to gain control over someone and make them do whatever it is that I require through the manipulation of speech." Saahira answered. "It is a rare and mighty ability that can only be wielded by a few of the Magi."
"You can use mind control simply by altering your voice?" Harry asked.
"Yes." Saahira answered. "I can use this ability very effectively. Of course, it took me years before I could master it completely and use complete obedience. It requires a steady mind, extreme focus, and a certain amount of willpower. For example." She turned to Fred, George, and Ginny who were still chanting.
"He got off. He got off. He got off-"
"STOP!" Saahira changed her tone again. And that caused Fred, George, and Ginny to stop and looked at Saahira as if they were entranced. "SIT DOWN!"
And all three sat down. Fred, George, and Ginny suddenly looked around to see that they were now sitting down.
"What just happened?" Ginny asked.
"Apologies, Lady Weasley. Just giving a demonstration of the Voice." Saahira answered.
"Wicked." Fred and George commented both having grins on their faces.
"Who else can wield it?" Harry asked.
"Myself. And Hakeem." Saahira answered. "House Karim has had the strongest wielders of the Voice. And a Female's Voice is stronger than a Male's Voice. I trained Hakeem to use it should he have need of it one day. Baba's Orders."
"Smart man." Ron commented.
"He truly was." Saahira replied.
"What happened to him?" Hermione asked.
"He passed away in his sleep." Saahira answered. "And then a group of Rogue Sages tried to usurp my Brother's rightful throne. Simply because they thought that an ADHD Boy could not rule over as High Sage."
"But why couldn't you rule as High Sage?" Hermione asked.
"Because a woman cannot rule as High Sage." Saahira answered. "It is always a Male. It is simply the way it is."
"Remind me never to live in Persia." Hermione whispered to me.
"And on that note. I'd better go tell Penny that Harry's been cleared." Ethan said getting up. "Everyone." And he left.
Well, now that Harry was cleared. I began thinking about Hogwarts again. See Hagrid, play Quidditch, see my friends again. See Neville. Show him all the training I had. My Family and I came and went regularly through Grimmauld Place. Sometimes, coming over for meals. Along that time, Ron and his siblings were forced to basically refurbish the entire House. Ron complained that he felt like a House Elf and I bet you could see where Hermione was going to go with that. Her talk about S.P.E.W. The last day of the Holiday, I met with my friends again in the Order Hideout. Ethan and Penny would come over to be with us for dinner along with Sean.
"It'll be nice to get out of this moldy house, Kassie. I'll tell you that much." Harry commented.
"Next time, we're staying in those Anglo Saxon Ruins that Kassie is going on about." Ron declared.
"You don't like the house, do you?" I asked Harry.
"In a house where everything is dusty and musty, half the cupboards are still bolted shut and Kreacher wheezes insults out of the shadow as I pass. The answer is no." Harry answered.
He had already finished packing his trunk when Ron entered the room, carrying a handful of letters.
"Booklists have arrived." Ron announced, throwing me one of the envelopes.
"About time." Ryan said. "They usually come much earlier than this though..." He also had this movie on a projector called: 'The Mask.' And right now, I looked at this scene where this guy in a Green Mask was dancing some song in front of Cops that all had guns on him. And Ryan was laughing at it.
"'They call me Cuban Pete, I'm the king of the rumba beat. When I play the maracas I go chick-chicky-boom, chick-chicky boom Yessir, I'm Cuban Pete. I'm the craze of my native street. When I start to dance, Everything goes chick-chicky-boom, chick-chicky boom.'"
"I tell you, nobody does comedy like Jim Carrey." Ryan commented while laughing.
"I can see why you like it, Ryan. It's a whole Toon, just like you." Harry said.
"You'd be right." Ryan confirmed while putting the movie on pause.
I opened my letter. It contained two pieces of parchment; one being the usual reminder that the term begins on the 1st of September; the other telling me what books I'll need for the coming year.
"Only two new ones." I read the list. "The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5, by Miranda Goshawk, and Defensive Magical Theory, by Wilbert Slinkhard."
Fred and George apparated right beside Harry. We were kind of all used to this by this point. So it didn't take any of us by surprise.
"Looks like Dumbledore found a new Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher." Ryan said.
I hoped this new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor is as good as Lupin and Mad Eye. Though, I didn't know who it was going to be at the time.
"About time, too." Ryan added. "Fred and George overheard a conversation with the Extendable Ears a couple of weeks ago. Apparently, Dumbledore was having trouble trying to find someone to take the job."
"Well... considering that the last four Professors we've had were sacked, dead, memory removed and fraud, and one was locked in a trunk for our 4th year while we got taught by an imposter.... I can see why." I replied.
"What's up with you, Ron?" Fred asked.
Ron didn't answer. I looked around. Ron was standing very still with his mouth slightly open, gaping at his letter from Hogwarts.
"What's the matter?" Fred asked impatiently, moving around Ron to look over his shoulder at the parchment.
Fred's mouth fell open too.
"Ron?" I asked.
"Prefect?" Fred asked, staring incredulously at the letter. And then rubbing his eyes to make sure that they were correct. "Prefect?"
Wait. What? Ron got the Prefect badge?
George leapt forward, seized the envelope in Ron's other hand, and turned it upside down. Something scarlet and gold fell into George's palm.
"No way." George said in a hushed voice.
"There's been a mistake." Fred replied, snatching the letter out of Ron's grasp and holding it up to the light as though checking for a watermark. "No one in their right mind would make Ron a prefect..."
"It's no mistake, boys." Anubis grinned granting back the letter. "Ronald Weasley is a Prefect for Gryffindor."
I smiled. Ron was now a Prefect. "Way to go, Ron!" I hugged him.
"Thanks, Kassie." Ron replied.
The Twins then looked at Harry. "We thought you were a cert!" Fred said in a tone that suggested Harry had tricked them in a way.
"We thought Dumbledore was bound to pick you!" George added indignantly.
"Well... I suppose having a God of Egypt in your head is a key factor." Fred admitted. "But I thought it would be Ryan."
"Nah." Ryan shrugged. "Though I did get a letter from Professor McGonagall that said Angelina was named Quidditch Captain, but if something was to happen and Angelina was not able to perform her duties, I could be next in line for Captain."
"That's great." I said to Ryan.
"I'm not Captain, but I could be." Ryan reminded.
Fred and George strode over to Harry and clapped him on the back, while they also gave Ron a scathing look.
"Perfect... ickle Ronnie the Prefect..."
"Oh, Mum's going to be revolting." George groaned, thrusting the Prefect Badge back at Ron as though it might contaminate him.
Ron looked at the badge. He couldn't believe his ears. "It's legit, Ronald. You are a Prefect. Wield it Wisely." Anubis requested.
"A Prefect." Ron whispered. "I've wanted this since... since... ever. Now I'm here."
The door banged open. Hermione came tearing into our room, her cheeks flushed and her hair flying. There was an envelope in her hand.
"Did you- did you get-?"
Hermione looked at the badge that was in Ron's hand. "Ron?" She said with her mouth dropping. "But.... are you sure? I mean-"
She turned red as Ron looked at her with a defiant expression on his face.
"It's Ron." I confirmed. "His name is on the letter."
"I..." Frankly, I'm not sure what Hermione was thinking at that moment. But she did look bewildered to see that Ron of all people was Prefect. "I... well... wow! We done, Ron! Rather impressive! That's really-"
"Unexpected." George said nodding.
"No." Hermione said, blushing harder than ever, "no, it's not... Ron's done loads of... he's really..."
"He's the right man for the job. And I'll be helping him with it." Anubis declared. "Sure he has his faults, a lot of them... but he's the man for it."
I just hoped Mater wouldn't be too disappointed that I didn't become a Prefect like Ethan did.
And on that note, the door behind Hermione opened a little wider, and Mrs. Weasley came into the room carrying a pile of freshly washed robes.
"Ginny said the booklists came at last." Mrs. Weasley said, while glancing around at the envelopes.
"Oh, Mrs. Weasley, Ron got made-" I tried to say.
"If you give them to me, I'll take them over to Diagon Alley this afternoon and get your books while you're packing. Ron, I'll have to get you some more pajamas, these are at least six inches too short, I can't believe how fast you're growing... what color would you like?"
"Get him red and gold to match his badge." George suggested grinning.
"Match his what?" Mrs. Weasley asked confused.
"His Badge." Fred answered. "His shiny new prefect badge."
Fred's words seemed to take a moment to penetrate the thoughts of Mrs. Weasley's preoccupation with pajamas.
"His... but... Ron, you're not...?"
"I am." Ron held up his badge, and Mrs. Weasley squealed while looking at it like it was the Golden Fleece.
"I don't believe it! I don't believe it! Oh, Ron, how wonderful! A prefect! That's everyone in the family!" She exclaimed.
"What are Fred and I, next door neighbors?" George asked indignantly, as his mother pushed him aside and flung her arms around Ron.
"Wait until your Father hears! Ron, I'm so proud of you, what wonderful news, you could end up just like Bill and Percy, it's the first step! Oh, what a thing to happen in the middle of all this, I'm just thrilled, oh Ronnie-" Mrs. Weasley was now going into her usual hysterics.
Fred and George both made loud retching noises behind her back, but Mrs. Weasley did not notice at all; arms tight around Ron's neck, and she was kissing him all over the face.
"Mum... don't... Mum, get a grip..." Ron muttered, pushing her away.
"Please, don't break him." Anubis requested. "I still need him."
Mrs. Weasley let go of him breathlessly. "Well, what will it be? We gave Percy an owl, but you've already got one, of course."
Ron looked confused. "W-what do you mean?" He asked.
"You've got to have a reward for this!" Mrs. Weasley answered fondly. "How about a nice new set of dress robes?"
"We've already bought him some." Fred said, looking as if he severely regretted that generosity. "And Anubis can also whip up something for him on a whim."
"It's true." Anubis added.
"Or a new Cauldron, Charlie's old one's rusting through, or a new rat, you always liked Scabbers-"
"Mum." Ron said hopefully. "Can I have a broom?"
Mrs. Weasley's face fell slightly. Broomsticks were expensive.
"Not a really good one!" Ron added quickly. "Just- just a new one for a change..."
"I believe that this should cover it." Anubis pulled out some Galleons to Mrs. Weasley.
Mrs. Weasley hesitated and then she smiled. "Of course you can... well, I'd better get going if I've got a broom to buy too. I'll see you all later... little Ronnie, a prefect! And don't forget to pack your trunks... a prefect... oh, I'm all of a dither!"
She gave Ron yet another kiss on the cheek and then bustled out of the room.
Fred and George exchanged looks.
"You don't mind if we don't kiss you, do you, Ron?" Fred asked in a falsely anxious voice.
"We could curtsey, if you like." George suggested.
"Oh, shut up." Ron scowled.
"Or what?" Fred asked, an evil grin on his face. "Going to put us in detention?"
"I'd love to see him try." George sniggered.
"He could if you don't watch out!" Hermione warned angrily.
Fred and George burst out laughing. "Drop it, Hermione." Ron muttered.
"We're going to have to watch our step, George." Fred said pretending to tremble. "With these two on our case..."
"Yeah, it looks like our law breaking days are finally over." George agreed shaking his head.
And with a loud crack, they disappeared.
"Those two!" Hermione commented furiously, staring at the ceiling where we could hear the twins roaring with laughter. "Don't pay any attention to them, Ron, they're only jealous."
"I don't think they are." Ron shrugged doubtfully. "They've always said only prats become prefects... still: they've never had new brooms." He added happily. "I wish I could go with Mum and choose... There's a new Cleansweep out, that'd be great... yeah, I think I'll go and tell her I like the Cleansweep, just so she knows. What do you think Anubis?"
"I might make a few modifications to the Cleansweep." Anubis answered.
Ron dashed out of the room, leaving Harry, Hermione, Ryan, and I alone.
I looked at Hermione. "It's great. Well done, Hermione." I praised. Even though a part of me wished I was made a Prefect.
"Thanks." Hermione thanked. "Hey, Kassie... I'm sorry for what it's worth. I know that Ethan was a Prefect himself."
"It's fine." I said.
"Harry?" Hermione asked tentatively.
"Brilliant, prefect. Great." Harry said, in a voice that wasn't him.
"Thanks. Say, could I borrow Hedwig so I can tell Mum and Dad? They'll be really pleased- I mean, prefect is something they can understand." Hermione requested.
"Yeah, no problem." Harry answered in a heartbroken voice. "Take her."
Hermione soon left. "Hey, guys. I'm going downstairs. I'll see you later." I left to go find Mater.
I went downstairs. Mater was talking to Ethan. Oh, great. To tell the truth, I had forgotten about Prefect duties and that sort of thing. I guess I had expected the badge to go to Hermione. But at the same time. I guess maybe people were expecting it to go to me. I had done all of the hard work, I helped Harry fight the Basilisk, I journeyed through the Labyrinth and encountered the Minotaur. I... just forget it.
"Hey, Kassie." Mater greeted.
I didn't look at Mater. I just sat down with my head in shame. "What's the matter?" Mater asked.
"The Prefect Badges came with our letters." I answered. "Hermione and Ron got chosen. I didn't. I'm sorry."
"Well, that's great for them." Ethan said. "But what are you sorry for?"
"Because you wanted me to be Prefect, didn't you?" I asked.
"What?" Ethan asked confused.
"I kind of just thought that I was supposed to be a Prefect like you were and keep that tradition-" I started to say.
"Woah! Hold up a minute." Ethan interrupted. "What are you talking about, Kassie? Me getting the Prefect Badge doesn't make it a family tradition."
I looked up. "It's-it's not?" I asked.
"No." Ethan answered. "Jacob wasn't a Prefect either."
"It's true." Mater said. "I didn't get made a Prefect either."
"Kassie. You don't have to be a Prefect to fit into the Bauer narrative. You're my sister. We're always going to be proud of you, no matter what you do." Ethan explained. "You want to know something?" He asked.
I looked at him. "I wasn't even a full Prefect. I shared that post with Charlie. See, Corey was going to be one of the Prefects. But she declined because McGonagall was going back and forth about the Male Prefect badges. She said it was a tie between Charlie and myself. So, we both agreed to share the post." Ethan had explained.
"But you would become a Head Boy, right?" I asked.
"I wasn't even supposed to be the Head Boy. That was Rowan. But... he was gone. He never had his chance." Ethan answered. "I picked up that Head Boy Badge, because I wanted to honor Rowan's memory. But the truth was that I didn't need a Badge to do that to Rowan, nor did I need a scarf to honor Rowan's memory. And you know what, Kassie? It's just a badge." He explained to me.
I felt better now. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I have these feelings." I said.
"We all get like that at some point, Kassie." Mater assured.
Mrs. Weasley returned from Diagon Alley around 6. Laden with books and carrying a long package wrapped in thick brown paper that Ron took from her with a fresh desire. Mater also did a quick stop at Diagon Alley to get my books.
"Never mind unwrapping it now, people are arriving for dinner, I want you all downstairs." She said but the moment was gone when Ron was ripping his paper frantically.
Down in the basement, Mrs. Weasley hung a scarlet banner over the heavily laden dinner table, which read: Congratulations Ron and Hermione. New Prefects.
And let's just say that Mrs. Weasley was in a better mood than I'd seen her all summer.
"I thought we'd have a little part, now a sit down dinner." She informed us as entered the room. "Your Father and Bill are on their way, Ron. I've sent them both owls and they're thrilled."
Fred rolled his eyes.
Sirius, Ethan, Jacob, Lizzie, Penny, as well as little Sean, Tonks, Lupin, Corey, Barnaby, Saahira, and Kingsley were already here, and Mad Eye stumped in not long after I got myself a butterbeer.
"So this is your son, Ethan?" Sirius asked looking at Sean.
"He is." Ethan answered as Penny held Sean in her arms.
"He looks exactly like Harry at that age." Sirius commented.
"He's got Ethan's Ears, smile and laugh." Penny said.
"And Penny's Eyes." Ethan added pointing to Sean's blue eyes.
"Chare." I greeted Ethan and Penny.
"Oh, Kassie. How are you?" Penny asked.
"Doing good, Penny." I answered. "How's Sean?"
"As well as can be expected." Penny answered. "Still being a baby."
Sean then made some type of weird sound.
"That's Sean just saying he's happy to see his Auntie Kassie." Penny explained while smiling.
And I was happy to see him too.
"Oh, Alastor, I am glad you're here." Mrs. Weasley said brightly. "We've been wanting to ask you for ages- could you have a look in the writing desk in the drawing room and tell us what's inside it? We haven't wanted to open it just in case it's something really nasty."
"No problem, Molly..."
Mad Eye's eye swiveled upwards and stared fixedly through the ceiling of the kitchen.
"Drawing room..." He growled. "Desk in the corner? Yeah, I see it... yeah, it's a Boggart... want me to go up and get rid of it, Molly?"
"No, no, I'll get rid of it myself later." Mrs. Weasley beamed. "You have your drink. We're having a little bit of a celebration, actually..." She gestured at the banner. "The Fourth Prefect in the family." She said fondly, ruffling Ron's hair.
Sean looked at Ron's Prefect Badge. He started to grab it.
"Yes, Sean. That's a Prefect Badge." Penny said. "He's starting to grab things now." She explained.
"Oh, believe me. We understand. When Ron was a baby. He tried to grab everything, and I mean, everything." Mrs. Weasley commented. "Though... not as grabby as Fred and George were at that age." But then she turned back to Ron. "And now he's a Prefect on his own."
"Ha. You should've seen what Hakeem was like." Saahira commented while laughing.
"Sorry, Sean. You can't have it." Ron said to Sean.
Sean still tried to grab the Badge. But he failed every time.
"Congrats to you, Ron." Penny said.
"Prefect, eh?" Mad Eye growled. His normal eye focused on Ron. "Well, congratulations, authority figures always attract trouble, but I suppose Dumbledore thinks you can withstand most major jinxes or he wouldn't have appointed you..."
Ron looked rather startled at that view of the matter. "I kind of just assumed that it was because I've got Anubis in me."
It was also at that moment that Bill and Mr. Weasley arrived.
"Well, I think a toast is in order." Mrs. Weasley declared, once everybody had a drink. "To Ron and Hermione, the Gryffindor Prefects!"
Ron and Hermione beamed as we all drank to them, and applauded.
"I was never a Prefect myself." Tonks said brightly, as we all moved over to the table to help ourselves to food. Her hair was tomato red and waist length today; something like Ginny's older sister. "My Head of House said I lacked certain necessary qualities."
"Like what?" Ginny asked.
"The ability to behave herself." Ethan answered.
Ginny laughed. So did Penny, and Ethan, and Barnaby. Hermione looked as though she didn't know whether to smile or not and compromised by taking an extra large gulp of Butterbeer, which she choked on.
"Who needed a crummy stupid badge like that anyway?" Tonks asked. "I was going for a much bigger prize."
"Head Girl?" Hermione asked.
"Nope. Better." Tonks answered. "The Queen of Pranks."
"Tulip would disagree with you on that, Tonks." Penny pointed out.
"The throne belongs to me, Penny. And you know it." Tonks countered. "You think it belongs to me. Right, Sean?" She asked.
All Sean did was just looked confused at Tonks.
"He agrees." Tonks had suddenly decided.
"Yeah, and my Head of House was Snape. He told me I was too much of an idiot to be a Prefect." Barnaby added. "He was right of course, but it still hurt."
"What about you?" Ginny asked Sirius, thumping Hermione on the back.
Sirius began to laugh.
"No one would make James or I prefects, we spent too much time in detention. Lupin was the good boy, he got the badge." He answered.
"I think Dumbledore might have hoped I would be able to exercise some control over my best friends." Lupin explained, smiling fondly. "I need scarcely say that I failed dismally."
"Yeah... well... truth be told, I didn't take my duties as Prefect to the extreme." Ethan admitted. "I was really laid back with it. But I kept the younger kids in check and their minds, sharp. Wish I gave Emily Tyler detention for the times she was mean to people."
"Isn't she kind of doing that right now?" Penny asked.
"She is." Ethan answered.
"And I got expelled in my 5th year." Jacob added. "Didn't even get my name considered for Prefect. Neither was Lizzie."
"Nope. I hung around with Jacob and Duncan for far too long." Lizzie added. "But I do know someone who did get the Job of Prefect for Ravenclaw."
"Who?" I asked.
"Olivia Green." Lizzie answered.
"Oh, yeah. I remember Olivia Green." Jacob said. "Ravenclaw Girl. While she wasn't part of our Trio of myself, Duncan, and Lizzie. We were on good terms with her. She even helped at some point during our Cursed Vaults adventures. Not always."
"What happened to her?" I asked.
"No one knows." Lizzie answered. "She became devoted to her duties as a Prefect and she distanced herself from us. She then spent the rest of her years trying to uncover a Conspiracy at the Ministry of Magic. She worked in the Department of Mysteries. And that was the last we saw of her. She just upped and vanished a year into her work at the Ministry."
"I always wondered what happened to her. She was always a paranoid wreck whenever we saw her. She could teach Mad Eye a thing or two about the subject." Jacob added.
In the meantime, Ron was rhapsodizing about his new broom to anybody who would listen. Particularly to Ryan.
"...naught to 70 in 10 seconds, not bad, is it? When you think the Comet's Two Ninety's only naught to 60 and that's with a decent tailwind according to Which Broomstick?"
"That's pretty good." Ryan agreed.
Hermione was talking earnestly to Lupin about her view of Elf's rights.
"I mean, it's the same kind of nonsense as Werewolf segregation, isn't it? It all stems from this horrible thing Wizards have of thinking they're superiors to other creatures..."
Mrs. Weasley and Bill had an argument about Bill's hair.
"They do this type of stuff all the time." Ethan whispered to me.
"...getting really out of hand, and you're so good lookin, it would look much better shorter, wouldn't it, Kassie?" Mrs. Weasley asked me.
"Oh- I dunno." I answered scooting away from the conversation.
"Something on your mind?" Mater asked me.
"Well, I just thought that Dumbledore would make Harry a Prefect is all." I said.
"He has his reasons, I'm sure." Mater replied.
"Well, I should take Sean home. He's starting to get sleepy." Penny stood up and Ethan went with them.
"I told you, Penny. Sean isn't a late night baby." Ethan said.
"Bye, everyone." Penny replied.
I waved goodbye as everyone did the same.
There were more conversations like this, but Mrs. Weasley gave a loud yawn a little while later. "Well, I think I'll sort out that Boggart before I turn in... Arthur, I don't want this lot up too late, alright?" She left the kitchen. I saw down next to Ryan.
"So... Quidditch is back this season." Ryan told me.
"Yeah." I replied.
"You ready to get back on the broom?" Ryan asked.
"It's going to be great. I'm all charged up." I answered.
And I could tell that Ryan had something else on his mind. "What is it?" I asked.
"I just want to be on that Hogwarts Express tomorrow. And see my Little Sister, Sophie. When Mom and Dad split... I haven't seen Sophie since. I want to see her again." Ryan answered.
I put a hand on his shoulder. "You'll see her again. I think she really misses you, Ryan."
"She does. I know my sister like I know my own mind." Ryan replied.
I was about to say more... but Ryan felt something in the air. "Something's not right." He got up.
"Ryan?" I asked following him up towards the Drawing Room. But then I heard sobbing from the Drawing Room.
"Chare?" I called out. I bounded up the rest of the steps with Ryan. Both of us looking confused and worried. Together we walked across the landing and opened the drawing room door.
Someone was cowering against the Dark Wall, her wand in her hand, her whole body shaking with sobs. Sprawled on the dusty old carpet in a patch of moonlight, clearly dead, as was Ron.
"Ron?" I asked nervously. He was dead. But wait..."
"It's a Boggart, Kassie." Horus assured taking over. "Ron is downstairs."
"Mrs. Weasley?" I asked.
"Riddikulus!" Mrs. Weasley yelled at the Boggart that was Ron's body.
Ron's body turned into Bill. Spread like an eagle on his back, his eyes wide open and empty. Mrs. Weasley sobbed harder than ever.
"R-Riddikulus!"
Bill's body was replaced by Mr. Weasley. His glasses askew, a trickle of blood running down his face.
"By Hades." I covered my hands over my mouth.
"No!" Mrs. Weasley moaned. "No... Riddikulus! Riddikulus! RIDDIKULUS!"
But all of those were even worse. Dead Fred and George. Dead Percy. Dead Ginny. Dead Harry.
Ryan jumped in the way. Or rather, Horus took over. His wand surged out an energy sword and it slashed down Boggart and dissolved into dust.
"Bloody Boggart." Horus commented.
Lupin, Sirius and Mater came into the room with Mad Eye stumbling along behind them.
"Oh-oh-oh!" Mrs. Weasley gulped, breaking into a storm of crying, her face in her hands.
"Molly." Lupin said bleakly, stepping forward. "Molly, don't..."
In the next minute, Mrs. Weasley was sobbing her heart out on Lupin's shoulder.
"Molly, it was just a Boggart." Mater assured soothingly while holding me tightly. "Just a stupid Boggart."
I nodded my head.
"I see them d-d-dead all the time!" Mrs. Weasley moaned into Lupin's shoulder. "All the t-t-time! I d-d-dream about it..."
We all stared at the carpet where the Boggart, was.
"D-D-Don't tell Arthur!" Mrs. Weasley begged, now gulping, and mopping her eyes frantically with her cuffs. "I d-d-don't want him to know... being silly...'
Lupin handed her a handkerchief.
"Kassie, Ryan, Lord Horus. I'm so sorry. What must you think of me?" Mrs. Weasley said shakily. "Not even able to get rid of a Boggart..."
"I remember when I saw my Boggart." I said trying to cheer her up. "It felt scary."
"When you have children and a family... the Boggarts get worse." Mater explained to me.
"I'm just s-s-so worried." Mrs. Weasley admitted, tears spilling from her eyes again. "Half the f-f-family's in the Order, it'll b-b-be a miracle if we all come through this... and P-P-Percy's not talking to us... what if something d-d-dreadful happens and we've never m-m-made it up with him? And what's going to happen if Arthur and I get killed, who's g-g-going to look after Ron and Ginny?"
"Molly, enough." Mater said firmly. "This isn't like last time. Last time I lost Daniel, and we still made it through. The order's prepared this time, we've got a head start, we know what Voldemort's up to... and we've got the Gods of Egypt on our side."
Mrs. Weasley gave a little squeak of fright at the sound of that name.
"Oh, Molly, yes, I used that name. I might as well use it. I've lost my husband, I thought Jacob had run away and was gone for good. But he came back. And I also dealt with Slayton. Voldemort is going to come for all of us at some point. Don't be afraid to say his name."
"Don't worry about Percy." Sirius added abruptly. "He'll come round. It's only a matter of time before Voldemort moves into the open; once he does, the whole Ministry's going to be begging us to forgive them. And I'm not sure I'll be accepting their apology."
"Oh, they owe you an apology for more than that, Sirius." Mater said.
"As for who's going to look after Ron and Ginny if you and Arthur died." Lupin said, smiling slightly. "What do you think we'd do, let them starve?"
Mrs. Weasley smiled tremulously. "Being silly." She muttered again, moping her eyes.
About 10 minutes after we left for home. I couldn't help but think that Mrs. Weasley wasn't being silly. I could probably make the assumption that Mater's boggart would be Jacob, Ethan and I dead on the ground.
I looked at our family photo in our house. Mater, Jacob, Ethan, and myself. It was taken after the Siege of Hogwarts over the Summer. And I also thought about the Super Heroes I read about. They wouldn't sit on their asses as a Dark Force prepared to destroy everything. They would stand and they would fight. And that's what I was going to do. Fight. There was a war coming, no doubt about it. This was why I was training. Sure it wouldn't be easy. There's going to be hardship... and sacrifice. But better we die on our feet, then live on our knees.