Disclaimer: I don't own the material in this story, I only own what I come up with. The rest belongs to J.K Rowling.
VOTE, COMMENT, ENJOY!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 6
As I had so unfortunately predicted, in my mind, that sixth year's free periods were not the hours of relaxation that everyone wanted to have. Especially Ron. Free periods are a time to attempt to keep up with the vast amount of homework we were being loaded with. Not only are we studying as though we had exams everyday, but our lessons themselves had become more demanding than ever before. Harry could barely understand half of what our professors would say, and would often rant to me about how crappy this year was going to be, I can hardly blame him though. Even Hermione had had to ask some professors to repeat instructions once or twice.
Hilariously, and to Hermione's increasing resentment, Harry's best subject had suddenly become Potions, thanks to the so-called Half-Blood Prince.
It was hilarious to see how fast Hermione's face would become red every time Slughorn would praise Harry's 'natural and amazing ability that is potion making.'
Thankfully I wasn't having that hard of a time in classes, I learned the majority of the content in past years. I am a natural at nonverbal spells, which were now expected, not only in Defense Against the Dark Arts, but in all of the classes in which we did wand work. It was fun to look at my classmates in the common room or at mealtimes to see them purple in the face and straining as though they had overdosed on U-No-Poo. Let me give you a moment to laugh at my joke before I continue......Anyways, I knew that they were only trying to do nonverbal spells without saying the incantation aloud. Mostly....everyone royally sucked at it.
It was surprisingly a relief to get outside into the greenhouses, seeing as it is one of my least favorite classes. It was nice to be near fresh air after being in an environment with a lot of stressing people...and people who wish to smash my head against the wall until I fall unconscious. If you don't understand what I'm trying to say...I'm talking about the dweebs who like to bully me.
Anyway, in Herbology we were dealing with more dangerous plants than ever, hallelujah. On the up-side....we were allowed to swear loudly if the Venomous Tentacula seized us unexpectedly from behind. It was not a fun experience let me tell you...when you are lifted five feet from the ground by a thick tentacle with poisonous thorns, you would be swearing too.
One result of our enormous workload and the frantic hours of practicing nonverbal spells, I'm speaking of my friends here and not me, was that my friends have been unable to find time to visit Hagrid. I didn't mind so much. Hagrid and I were never that close, but my friends have been whining about it all the time. Hagrid had stopped coming to meals at the staff table, and ominous sign to my friends, and on the few occasions when we had passes him in the corridors or out in the grounds, he had mysteriously failed to notice us or hear our greetings.
" We have got to go and explain to him why we didn't take Care of Magical Creatures this year!" Hermione stressed, as she looked up at Hagrid's huge and empty chair at the staff table the following Saturday at breakfast.
" We've got Quidditch tryouts this morning!" said Ron. " And we're supposed to be practicing that Aguamenti Charm from Flitwick! Anyway, explain what? How are going to tell him we hated his stupid subject?"
" We didn't hate it!" said Hermione in a shrill voice.
"Speak for yourself, I haven't forgotten the skrewts." I said darkly, which earned an amused look from Harry and Ron, but a not-so-amused look from Hermione.
" Besides, we've had a narrow escape. You didn't hear him going on about his gormless brother, we'd have been teaching Grawp how to tie his shoes if we'd stayed." Ron said shaking his head.
" I'm so glad I was never around for that." I said in relief. I heard nothing but scary stuff about Grawp, him being like a child....an oversized child with a crush on Hermione. Poor girl.
" I hate not talking to Hagrid." said Hermione, looking upset.
" We'll go down after Quidditch," Harry assured her. He looked like he missed Hagrid too. " But trials might take all morning, the number of people who applied." Harry said shaking his head in bewilderment.
" I don't know why the team's this popular all of a sudden."
I smirked and said " Oh, come on, Harry, It's not Quidditch that's popular, it's you! You've never been more interesting, and frankly, you've never been more fanciable." I winked at Harry and he smirked.
Ron gagged on a large piece of kipper. Hermione spared him one look of disdain before turning back to the conversation.
" Everyone knows you've been telling the truth now, don't they? The whole Wizarding world has had to admit that you were right about my father being back and that you really have fought him twice in the last two years and escaped both times. And now they're calling you 'the Chosen Once'...well, come on, can't you see why people are fascinated by you?" I said waggling my brow at Harry.
" And you've been through all that persecution from the Ministry when they were trying to make out you were unstable and a liar. You can still see the marks on the back of your hand where that evil woman made you write with your own blood, but you stuck to your story anyway..." Hermione added.
" Hey, you can still see some scars from when I fell in the ministry!" Ron added in as he pulled up his sleeve.
I put my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing. He was so trying to impress Hermione.
"And it doesn't hurt that you've grown about a foot over the summer either," Hermione finished, ignoring Ron.
" I'm tall," Ron said inconsequentially.
I lost it. I burst out laughing, causing nearby people to glare at me or move farther away from me.
Ron blushed and growled " What are you laughing at?"
" Oh nothing." I said calming down some. " Nothing at all."
Suddenly the hall was filled with the sound of owls. They were swooping down through rain flecked windows, scattering everyone with droplets of water. Most people were receiving more most than usual; anxious parents were keen to hear from their children and to reassure them, in turn, that all was well at home. A lot of people wrote to their parents about how Voldemort's daughter is at Hogwarts. The parents were in an uproar and wanted my immediate removal. But Dumbledore swiftly ended the matter saying that he couldn't remove a student based on another persons actions and that at Hogwarts, he teaches anyone willing to learn, even if they have bad parentage, and that there was no room for discrimination at Hogwarts."
I didn't know whether to be insulted by his statement or thankful that he hushed the parents up so quickly. Though word of me spread all around the world like wildfire. Wizarding governments from other countries wanted the ministry to keep me in jail to be sure I wouldn't go down the same path as my father, but seeing as I'm still a minor, there was no legal way to take me. I hadn't done anything wrong...needless to say, everyone is keeping a close eye on me, waiting for me to make a mistake.
A few parents actually took their kids out of school, because I was here. It made me feel bad, but when the kids saw that parents were so concerned they kept trying to tell their parents that I was different and a good person, just so they wouldn't take them out of school. Its laughable though, seeing as they were only saying that to save their own butt's. They didn't want to be around me at all, even if what they said was true. Mostly this technique worked at keeping them in school. None-the-less, I'm still being watched closely.
A stack of letters landed in front of me and I looked up to see Sir Hamilton standing in my lunch drinking a bit of my pumpkin juice.
I rolled my eyes at my bird and pet him. I fed him a piece of biscuit before he flew off and gave my attention to my letters.
I distinguished which ones were hate mail, and quickly threw those away. Before putting my personal mail in my backpack, hating how not one of those letters would be from Mom and Sirius.
I tried not to think about how my mother and Sirius would be writing me if they were still alive. They would have been trying to keep my spirits up because my secrets out. They would be begging me to give them every little detail of how Hogwarts was so far. Sirius would be telling me that he would come here and blast anybody off their feet if they were mean to me, then mom would say she would hold me if she was here and make me her famous cup of steaming hot chocolate. They would both tell me they loved me, and that they would always be there for me....only...now they aren't.
I drew in a deep breath and tried to push my thoughts away.
I felt a warm hand on my back and realized it was Ron. He looked sympathetic, as I realized that a few tears had slipped from my eyes.
" They would be really proud of you, Ava." Hermione said with a small smile.
I smiled, because I knew it was true. They would be so happy that I was keeping my head held high, that I was being brave, and helping the Order of the Phoenix to the best of my ability.
I looked up at my friends and smiled, showing that I was ok, even though I was still stinging on the inside.
" Did you guys get anything?" I asked hoarsely, which embarrassed me...but my friends showed no signs that they heard how bad I sounded.
Harry held up a new copy of Advanced Potion-Making, fresh from Flourish and Blotts.
" Oh good," Said Hermione looking smug and delighted " Now you can give that graffitied copy back."
" Are you mad?" said Harry " I'm keeping it! Look, I've thought it out..."
He pulled the old copy of Advanced Potion Making out of his bag and tapped the cover with his wand, muttering, " Diffindo!" The cover fell off. He did the same thing with the brand-new book. Hermione looked utterly scandalized. He then swapped the covers, tapped each and said,"Reparo!"
There sat the Prince's copy, disguised as a new book, and there sat the fresh copy from Flourish and Blotts, looking thoroughly secondhand.
" I'll give Slughorn back the new one, he can't complain, it cost nine Galleons."
Hermione pressed her lips together, looking angry and disapproving, but was distracted by a third owl landing in front of her carrying that day's copy of the Daily Prophet. She unfolded it hastily and scanned the front page.
" Anyone we know dead?" Ron asked in a determinedly casual voice, he posed the same question every time Hermione opened her paper.
" No, but there have been more dementor attacks..." Hermione said.
" Not surprising." I sighed.
"....and an arrest." Hermione finished.
" Excellent, who?" Harry asked, knowing he was thinking of Bellatrix. I was hoping that too, but I knew better than to hope for that.
" Stan Shunpike." said Hermione.
Ah, the newbie with the horrible acne. He had been recently recruited.
" What?" said Harry startled
" Stanley Shunpike, conductor on the popular Wizarding conveyance the Knight Bus, has been arrested on suspicion of Death Eater activity. Mr. Shunpike,21, was taken tinto custody late last night after a raid on his Clapham home..." Hermione read.
I stared at the blatant disbelief on Harry's face and tsked to myself.
" Stan Shunpike, a Death Eater? No way!" Harry said.
" He might have been put under the Imperius Curse," said Ron reasonably. " You can never tell."
" It doesn't look like it," said Hermione, who was still reading " It says here he was arrested after he was overheard talking about the Death Eater's secret plans in a pub." She looked up with a troubled expression on her face. " If he was under the Imperius curse, he'd hardly stand around gossiping about their plans, would he?"
Sounds like something the newbie would do, he wasn't very smart upstairs, if you know what I mean.
"It sounds like he was trying to make out he knew more than he did," said Ron, "Isn't he the one who claimed he was going to become Minister of Magic when he was tring to chat up those Veela at the World Cup?"
Wow, Stan did that?
" Yeah, that's him" said Harry. " I dunno what they're playing at, taking Stan seriously."
" They probably want to look as though they're doing something," said Hermione frowning.
" You guys can't judge a book by it's cover. He may not seem like a bad guy to you. But never rule out the possibility that it's true. I'm not telling you he is a death eater or not, but I will tell you this. If I were to tell you the names of some of the death eaters I've seen and talked to, you would not believe me. They put up a good innocent front, but inside they are just as twisted as any other death eater." I said trying to get them to understand.
"I don't believe it." Harry said stubbornly " why would they arrest him, if they don't have concrete evidence."
" People are terrified...the ministry might be doing this to keep people at ease...you know the Patil twins' parents want them to go home? And Eloise Midgen has already been withdrawn. Her father picked her up last night." Hermione said.
I shook my head. They were totally blowing my advice off.
" What!" Ron said , goggling at Hermione " But Hogwarts is safer than their homes, bound to be! we got Aurors , and all those extra protective spells, and we've got Dumbledore!"
" I don't think we've got him all the time," said Hermione very quietly, glancing toward the staff table over the top of the Prophet. " Haven't you noticed? His seat's been empty as often as Hagrid's this past week."
Ron, Harry, and I looked up at the staff table. The headmaster's chair was indeed empty.
" Now that I think about it, I haven't seen Dumbledore since our lesson a week ago." Harry said quietly.
I remember when Harry told us about his lesson and what he learned. He learned about my father's mother, Merope, living in a poor house on the outskirts of little Hangleton. She fell in love with a muggle, she fed a love potion to him, they got married, she got pregnant, and he left. It would have made an amazing soap opera.
" I think he's left the school to do something with the Order." Said Hermione in a low voice. She looked at me for confirmation but I just shrugged. I truthfully didn't know. He didn't tell me anything.
" I mean....it's all looking serious, isn't it?" Hermione continued when she saw I didn't know.
Harry, Ron and I, did not answer. But I knew we were thinking the same thing. There had been a horrible incident the day before, when Hannah Abbott had been taken out of Herbology to be told her mother had been found dead. We had not seen Hannah since. Though because of this, I was punched in the face by Hannah's best friend Tammy. Strangely though, I felt like it would justify Hannah somehow. She was one of the only people who did not bully me around. She was a sincerely good person.
We left the Gryffindor table five minutes later to head down to the Quidditch pitch, we passed Lavender Brown and Parvarti Patil.
When we passed them, surprisingly Parvarti nudged Lavender, Lavender looked around and gave Ron a wide smile. Ron blinked at her, then returned the smile uncertainly. His walk instantly became something more like a strut. It look all I had to not laugh my head off. I was going to allow him his moment.
Hermione though, looked cold and distant all the way down to the stadium through the cool, misty drizzle, and departed to find a place in the stands without wishing Ron or I good luck.
Jealous much?
As Harry had expected, the trials took most of the morning. Half of Gryffindor Hourse seemed to have turned up, from first years who were nervously clutching a selection of the dreadful old school brooms, to secenth years who towered over the rest, looking cooly intimidating. The latter included a large, wiry haired boy, I recognized immediately from the Hogwarts express, and Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.
" We met on the train, in old Sluggy's compartment," he said stepping up to Harry confidently, to shake Harry's hand. " Cormac McLaggen, Keeper."
"You didn't try out last year, did you?" asked Harry .
" I was in the hospital wing when they held the trials." McLaggen said "Ate a pound of doxy eggs for a bet."
Wow. Just wow.
" Right." said Harry not sounding in the least bit impressed " Well, if you wait over there..."
He pointed over to the edge of the pitch, close to where Hermione was sitting.
" Ava, go ahead and stand with the chasers." Harry instructed.
I nodded, but unfortunately the chasers were beside the keepers.
McLaggen looked down at me and stated " Your You-Know-Who's daughter."
I spared him a glance and ignored him.
" You know that's kind of a sexy thought. A girl born from an evil man, and she is untouchable and unapproachable. I'd probably go after you if my friend was trying to get with you."
My thoughts instantly went to Will, but I pushed them away and glared at McLaggen.
" Hermione though, is hot as well. I can't wait to get on a first name basis with her. If you know what I mean." He winked as he turned around to annoy Ron, who looked like a timid puppy.
Harry had decided to start with a basic test, asking all applicant for the team to decide into groups of ten and fly once around the pitch. This was a good decision: the first ten was made up of first years and it could not have been more obvious that they had never flown before. Only one boy managed to remain airborne for more than a few seconds, and he was so surprised he promptly crashed into one of the goal posts. It was hilarious.
The second group was comprised of ten of the most ridiculous girls I had ever encountered, who, when Harry blew his whistle, merely fell about giggling and clutching one another. Romilda Vane was amongst them. When he told them to leave the pitch, they did so quite cheerfully and went to sit in the stands to aggravate everyone else.
The third group had a pileup halfway around the pitch. The fourth group had come without broomsticks. The fifth group were Hufflepuffs. I'm not joking.
"If there's anyone else here who's not from Gryffindor," roared Harry, who looked to be losing his patience and was annoyed, " Leave now, please!"
There was a pause, then a couple of little Ravenclaws went sprinting off the pitch, snorting with laughter.
After two long agonizing hours, many complaints, and several tantrums, one involving a crashed Comet Two Sicty and several broken teeth, Harry had finally decided on keeping Katie Bell and me as chasers, and he added Ginny Weasley, she was actually very good. She scored 17 goals out of 20.
Next were the beaters. Neither of Harry's chosen Beaters had the old brilliance of Fred and George. but they were still reasonably good. Jimmy Peakes, was a short but broad-chested third year boy who had managed to raise a lump the size of an egg on the back of Harry's head with a ferociously hit bludger...which was hilarious I might add. The other new beater was Richie Coote, who looked weedy, but aimed well. They now joined the spectators in the stands to watch the selection of their last team member.
The first five applicants saved no more than two goals a piece. Cormac McLaggen unfortunately saved four out of five. On the last one, however, he shot off in completely the wrong direction; the crowd laughed and booed and McLaggen returned to the ground grinding his teeth. I suspect Hermione had something to do with McLaggens sudden miss. I suspect a confundus charm of some sort.
Ron looked ready to pass out as he mounted his Cleansweep eleven.
" Good luck!" Cried Lavender from the stands. The girl looked so love struck I wanted to gag.
Ron actually saved all of the goals, though most looked like they were on accident. The last one he saved he was actually hanging up-side-down on his broom.
When Harry turned around to tell McLaggen that he didn't get the spot of keeper, he saw that McLaggen was already in his face.
I smell trouble.
" His sister didn't really try!" McLaggen said menacingly There was a vein pulsing in his temple. I quickly walked up to Harry and said coldly " Rubbish. That was the one he nearly missed."
McLaggen glared at me before taking a step closer to us, who held our ground. " Give me another go." he growled.
" No. You've had your go. You saved four. Ron saved five. Ron's Keeper, he won it fair and square, get out of my way." Harry said
I thought that McLaggen might punch him.
" Is there a problem here?" A familiar voice said as they wrapped their arm around me. " I would appreciate it if you would step away from my girlfriend and her friend, please." Draco said harshly.
McLaggen grimaced before storming off in the opposite direction.
" What are you doing here?" I smiled at Draco.
" Just came to see your tryouts. You did great." Draco said hugging me.
Harry made a gagging noise, and Draco glared loathingly at him before pulling me with him toward a Harry-free place.
Draco pulled me toward an empty part of the field and smiled at me before kissing my cheek. " I'm glad you made the team."
" Me too." I said hugging him close to me. " So, uh...have you been thinking on...you know...."
" Actually yes I have. I have something planed for the next Hogsmeade weekend..." Draco said not sounding at all excited. I can't blame him.
" Will you tell me?" I asked
He leaned into my ear and whispered " A poison necklace...if he touches it, he will die."
I froze in disbelief. It was horrible. I felt so dirty and guilty conspiring about my headmaster's death. I knew he was going to die, and a part of me knew that he knew too. I felt like a horrible person trying to pull all of this together.
" How did you get something like that?" I asked in shock once I shook off the guilt I felt
" I got it before you went into Borgin and Burkes, when we went to Diagon alley" Draco said trying to sound nonchalant.
" Ahhh." I said not knowing what else to say.
We were silent for the next few minutes, letting it sink in that in just a few weeks, Draco may be labeled a murderer. Dumbledore may be dead, and my dad may take that as his chance to strike.
" Ava?" someone said as they came up behind me.
I jumped and spun around to see Will. Draco turned to Will and the moment they made eye contact you could feel the testosterone in the air. Oh golly. I wanted to face palm.
" You are?" Draco asked with his typical swagger, and a dash of contempt in his eyes.
" Will Peace." Will answered back strongly. He seemed to be accepting whatever challenge that Draco was emitting from his stormy gray eyes.
I could practically feel electricity in the air as they eyed each other.
" I just came over to tell Ava..." Will said as he looked from Draco to me " that she did an amazing job on the field. I'm glad you made the team."
" You were watching too?" I asked with my brow raised.
" Who wasn't?" Will shrugged, I could see the amusement in his brown eyes.
"Well thank you ." I said awkwardly when Will didn't look away from my eyes.
Draco shoved Will away from me breaking the awkward eye contact we were sharing.
" You have come to say what you wanted to, so you can leave now." Draco said clearly showing the threat in his voice, he was showing his cold and harsh demeaner, that he reserved to scare people with. It was sort of hot. What can I say? I love his protective side.
Will scowled at Draco before saying " Yeah, I'll see you later Ava."
Draco glared loathingly at Will until he was out of sight. " I think I may hate that guy more than Scarhead."
" Wow." I chuckled
" Why are you laughing?" Draco growled.
" Your hot when you go all protective." I smirked
Draco's eyes lit up with amusement and he shook his head looking somewhat pleased with himself.
He leaned over and kissed me full on the lips and I heard wolf whistles coming from the distance.
"Draco's gonna get some!!" I heard the familiar voice of Blaise shout out from a group of Slytherins.
Crabbe and Goyle continued to whoop and wolf whistle, but Draco merely held his hand up and made a gesture meant to shoo them away.
The Slytherins laughed and I pulled away laughing too. Draco smirked and pulled me close and hugged me.
"What am I going to do with you." He said laughing lightly.
"Keep me." I laughed " I'd make your life a living hell if you didn't."
Draco pretended to be in deep thought for a moment and I hit his arm playfully.
" I'm joking." He smirked " yeah, I just might keep you."
" That's what I thought." I muttered as he led me toward the castle with an amused smirk plastered on his face.