Severus cleared his throat. "We'll just let everyone believe the next Hogsmeade visit to be on Valentine's Day, but in fact, we're going to hold it on a different day, which we'll announce at breakfast the morning of the visit on the respective day, this way no one will know on time to make any plans."
On a sunny Saturday morning, exactly one week before Valentine's Day, Tom announced at breakfast that the students from third year onwards were allowed to spend the day in Hogsmeade. With that, the Great Hall erupted in an excited babbling as hundreds of students began to plan their day for the surprise announcement of the Hogsmeade visit a week earlier than expected.
From the corner of his eyes, Harry saw how Severus stepped over to Draco and firmly led the boy out of the hall.
'Dad?' Harry hesitantly thought to his father. 'Where are you taking Draco?'
'Easy, Harry, everything is all right. I'm going to take Draco with me to the Potions classroom. I know that he promised not to betray you, but I decided I won't even give him the opportunity to. Instead I will have him serve a fake detention with me, so his father won't get suspicious of him in case he heard of the Hogsmeade visit date change later on and think Draco purposely did not notify him of the date change,' Severus replied calmly, causing Harry to relax.
'Ok, thank you, Dad,' he thought back, and turned to Ginny, who was sitting opposite of him at the Gryffindor table. 'Ginny, shall we go on our date today?' he queried, hesitantly turning his eyes to the girl. 'She's so pretty,' he mused, smiling as her eager 'Of course' penetrated his mind.
Harry hurriedly ate his breakfast and after a short detour to the head table to inform his mother and brother that he was going into Hogsmeade with Ginny, he returned to his room to get ready. Half an hour later, he headed to the entrance hall to meet with Ginny, feeling very happy but extremely excited to go on a first date completely alone with his beautiful girlfriend.
Just a few metres before he reached the entrance hall, he could hear Dumbledore's voice speaking to him from a shadowy alcove. "Have fun, my boy," the annoying ghost's voice told him.
"Thank you," Harry replied quickly as he hurried away, not eager to further communicate with the ghost.
"Hi Harry," Ginny smiled when he arrived in the entrance hall.
"Hello," Harry replied, suddenly feeling a bit excited. 'It's nothing special. It's only Ginny, my second Co-captain of the Quidditch team,' he mused as he gently pulled her into the line of the students, who were patiently waiting for his mother to check their names off the list of students with permission slips for the Hogsmeade visits.
"Harry, are you not coming with us?" Hermione suddenly queried, already stepping down the steps along with Neville, Mandy, Susan and Teddy.
"No, I'm going with Ginny today," Harry replied, uncomfortably noticing that heat crept into his cheeks, causing the girls to giggle. "Let's meet for lunch at The Three Broomsticks," he shouted after his friends, just when his mother checked their names off the list.
"Be very careful, dear," she said quietly, throwing him a sharp look.
"Of course, Mum. May I bring home some chocolate frogs for Felix?" Harry replied, causing Minerva to nod and smile at her oldest son.
ハリーと頑固な校長先生
Harry and Ginny headed to Zonko's first, although Harry had a hard time hiding his surprise at Ginny's choice.
"You know, my brothers would love to open their own joke shop," Ginny explained in a small voice. "That's why they were helping with Hagrid's circus over the holidays, so they could earn some money, even if Hagrid couldn't pay them much. They've invented enough joke items to sell them, but they don't have enough start-up money to open a shop. At the moment, they're having a huge fight with my parents, because they are wanting to work at the circus until they've enough money for the shop, so they really seem intent on opening one. That's why I'd like to study Zonko's as intensely as possible. Maybe I could help them later on."
'Ginny, you know that I have more money than I could ever use due to the wolvescure potion. I'd love to give Fred and George the money they need to open a joke shop. We can all use a good laugh, and they really make me laugh. Please ask them to open their own account at Gringotts if they don't have one yet, and I'll transfer some money into their account,' Harry promised, thinking to the girl, as they had just entered Zonko's, which was extremely crowded.
'I'm not sure if they'd accept your money, Harry, but thank you very much for offering,' Ginny thought back as they made their way through the shop.
"Ah, fresh air!" Harry let out a relieved sigh as they stepped back onto the main street, causing Ginny to laugh.
"Yes, I'm sorry for dragging you in there. Where do you want to head next?"
"The bookshop?" Harry suggested, causing the girl to nod enthusiastically.
Fortunately, Flourish and Blotts was not crowded at all. Merely Hermione and Blaise were skimming the bookshelves, excitedly pointing out interesting books to each other.
'Are they on a date as well?' Harry mused as he followed Ginny, who led him to the Healing section.
"I'd love to become a healer or at least a mediwitch after taking my NEWTs," Ginny whispered, "but don't tell anyone yet. I'm also interested in psychology, so I'd love to buy a book about that."
"That's a good idea," Harry replied thoughtfully. "I'm sure you'd make a great psychologist or healer. You still have three years to decide though."
"Yes, of course, although I thought maybe I'd be able to begin taking classes after my OWLs next year, either at St. Mungo's or with Madam Pomfrey. I don't know if it's possible, but in order to enquire if there's a possibility I have to decide exactly on what I want to do," Ginny informed him, smiling.
Together they skimmed the bookshelf of the Healing Arts section and chose a few books, out of which Ginny tried to decide on one she wanted the most. 'I intended to buy her a ring or something, but I'm not sure about that and it maybe just a bit early for that anyway, considering this is our first date, so I could buy the books for her instead,' Harry thought, seeing that Ginny was having a hard time choosing which to buy.
"Let's get them all," he said gently, taking the books from her, and headed to the cash desk. "Please take the money from my vault," he instructed the clerk.
"Thank you so much, Harry," Ginny said with genuine excitement as they left the shop.
'She looks even more beautiful when she blushes,' Harry thought as he replied, "You're welcome, Ginny."
Glancing at his wrist watch, Harry noticed that it was already time for lunch and led his date to The Three Broomsticks, where the rest of their friends were already drinking butterbeer, waiting for them.
Harry ordered two Chicken Teriyaki sandwiches and two butterbeers for Ginny and himself and quietly listened to his friends' excited babbling, exchanging a few thoughts with Ginny every now and then. 'We still need to go to Honeydukes. I have to buy chocolate frogs for my brother,' he just thought to Ginny, when a loud voice penetrated their ears, making them shudder at the sound.
"Elves are low creatures and only exist to serve wizards," the voice shouted, and suddenly, the world around the friends turned black.
ハリーと頑固な校長先生
When Harry's mind slowly returned to consciousness, he found himself alone on a cold stone floor in a completely dark room. His whole body was in pain, and he had no idea where he was, what time it was, and where his friends were. 'I have to transform and flash to Ginny,' he mused, but the pain that shot through his body at the slightest movement prevented him from transforming into his phoenix form.
'Ginny?' he urgently thought as he began to panic.
'Harry, are you awake? Thank Merlin,' Ginny replied, sounding very relieved. 'Now, listen, Harry. They can't know that you're awake, do you understand me? They're keeping you asleep so you can't transform and flash away.'
'Okay,' Harry replied, trying to grasp the meaning behind her words. 'Where are we, and what is happening?'
'I don't know where they're keeping you and Teddy, but I think we're at Malfoy Manor, because Lucius Malfoy and a few of his friends are keeping us here. Except for the two of you, we're all together in a small cellar room. They've been torturing Teddy and you in front of us for a week now.'
'A week?' Harry queried, terrified.
'Yes, but don't worry. I'm in contact with your father, and the teachers and the Aurors are already outside, trying to get into the Manor. I think Draco is helping them. Talk to your father; he's very worried about you.'
'Okay,' Harry replied and concentrated on Severus. 'Dad?'
'Harry! Thank Merlin; are you all right, son?' Severus' concerned thoughts penetrated his mind.
'I'm fine,' Harry lied, causing Severus to snort.
'Don't lie to me, son. Ginny told me about the torture, and she was frightened enough to tell me the truth. You have to hold on for a bit longer. We're just fighting against Lucius Malfoy and his gang, but...'
'Dad?' Harry queried as Severus quieted. 'Dad? What's wrong? What's happening?' He felt his body explode in pain and a wave of heat overcome him as he panicked.
'Easy, Harry, it's all right. Tom just got rid of Lucius,' Severus replied, sounding slightly shaken. 'You aren't able to transform and flash, considering your injuries, are you?'
'No.'
'Okay, now with Lucius Malfoy gone, Draco as the heir of Malfoy Manor will be able to get inside, even if it might still be warded against us. Hold on, son.'
'Tell Ginny,' Harry thought back, before he succumbed to his injuries and the world turned black once more.
ハリーと頑固な校長先生
When Harry became conscious again and blearily opened his eyes, he found himself in the hospital wing at Hogwarts. Noticing a small sting in his hand, he glanced to his right side, seeing that he was connected to an I.V. 'How annoying,' he thought, before he remembered the pain he had been in the last time he was awake.
Slowly turning his head to his other side, he noticed his brother, who was sleeping peacefully on his left arm, while his mother was sitting in a chair beside his bed, grading parchments.
"Mum," Harry whispered, causing Minerva to look up and sigh in relief.
"Harry! Thank Merlin you're conscious. How are you feeling? Are you in pain?" she asked in concern.
"No, I'm fine. What happened, and where are the others? Is everyone all right?"
"Your friends are fine and were released a week ago, except for Teddy, who is in the bed next to you, and he's still unconscious, but like you he will be fine with time."
Harry glanced over to the next bed, seeing Teddy's parents sitting with the small elf.
"Felix has been staying here with you ever since you were rescued two weeks ago," Minerva continued. "Fortunately, Poppy was kind enough to keep an eye on him all the time. During the week you were away, he made himself sick. He refused to eat at all, and he spiked a high fever, with no other reason than worry about you."
Harry threw his four-year-old brother a loving smile, before he turned his eyes back to Minerva. "I'm sorry, Mum."
Minerva laughed. "You don't have to be sorry, son. I'm glad you get along so well, and I know that you've always been Felix's number one priority."
ハリーと頑固な校長先生
It was already the end of March before Harry and Teddy were finally released from the hospital wing, due to the grave internal injuries they sustained during their captivity.
"Mum, Dad, how am I supposed to catch up with the others?" Harry asked worriedly. "I missed six weeks of classes, and the OWLs are going to take place in two months."
Severus sighed. "Well, Harry, your mother and I already discussed this potential problem, and we suggest that you spend the evenings in our quarters at least during the next few weeks, so that we can teach you and Teddy what you missed in most of your subjects. You can still spend some time with your friends in the study room between the last afternoon class and dinner."
"I suppose that would be the best," Harry replied thoughtfully. "Thank you, Mum and Dad, for offering to teach Teddy and me."
"In fact, we'd also like to keep an eye on you to prevent you from overexerting yourself. Since your internal injuries aren't entirely healed yet, you're not allowed to play Quidditch or transform into your Animagus forms until the end of the school year," Minerva said quietly.
"I'm fine; otherwise, Aunt Poppy wouldn't have released me," Harry protested, feeling slightly annoyed by his parents' over protectiveness, although a small voice at the back of his mind told him, 'Be glad to have parents who worry about you, and you've been very ill for more than a month.'
During the following two months, Harry and Teddy were very busy catching up with their classmates and reviewing for their OWLs, but due to Harry's parents' efforts to teach them in all their subjects, both fifth-years managed to take their tests with ease.
ハリーと頑固な校長先生
During the week before the summer holidays, Hogwarts' main topic changed abruptly from the OWLs and NEWTs to the circus that was scheduled to take place on the Hogwarts grounds each afternoon from the first of July to the thirtieth of August.
Harry, Neville and Teddy, who were staying at the castle through the summer holidays, received a season ticket from Hagrid that allowed them to come and watch the circus whenever they wanted to, and Felix kept begging Harry to take him to "watch the amals" nearly every day. Harry, who had not forgotten how Felix had clung to him while he was sick, could not resist his brother's pleading look and took the small boy to the tent beside the lake every afternoon.
Originally, Godric, Tom and Harry had planned to practise their own number for the circus in their phoenix forms; however, knowing that his body had not completely recovered from his severe injuries yet, Poppy vehemently forbade him to transform into any form, just as she made her husband promise to hold off the plan to be part of the circus until the following summer.
One day, Harry remembered something, while he sat on the floor in the living room, playing with Felix with his Hogwarts Express train set.
"Mum, Dad," he spoke up quietly. "I didn't think about this before, but how could Lucius Malfoy and his friends know that we had our Hogsmeade day the day we were kidnapped when the date had been changed unexpectedly?"