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Krysta · 06-23-2008, 08:40 AM

Chapter 13, part 3

“Er, Harry?”

The voice snapped him out of his thoughts like a lightning bolt. He looked from his diary to see Neville staring down at him. That was the last person he’d expected to see. Automatically he covered the diary with his arm, even though he knew Neville couldn’t read it. He closed it and placed it beside him on the bed. Neville looked uncomfortable and Harry felt guilty enough to put him out of his misery.

“Listen, Nev, I’m really sorry.” Neville immediately shook his head and held up his hand in protest. Harry was surprised.

“No, Harry. I’m sorry. Ok, I was upset, but I didn’t need to explode like that.” He paused as though searching for words. Harry motioned for him to sit down, and Neville accepted, popping himself on the end of Harry’s bed.

“I’ve been really testy recently.” He began. Harry watched him, searching his features for some sign of what might be troubling his friend. He found such a confused plethora of emotions that Harry could ascertain nothing from them at all. Instead he waited for Neville to speak.

“Y’see, I’ve kinda been thinking about Mum a lot recently. Oh that sounds terrible. I mean I think bout my parents all the time. I think about what it would have been like…I lost them when I was very young. They were attacked.” Neville broke off for a moment and Harry felt uncomfortable. He already knew what had happened to Neville’s parents, and who had been responsible. But Neville was unaware of this, and the fact that Harry probably knew more about Neville’s parents’ demise than Neville himself made Harry feel strangely awkward. With much discomfort he remained quiet and allowed Neville to say what he so badly needed to.

“I was barely walking when it happened. But I was always a late starter.” They both smiled. To be fair to Neville, his slow and painful start in the world of magic 4 years ago had slowly dissolved and with a few prods in the right direction, Neville was on his way to being an extremely accomplished magical Herbologist. “I was probably two or so. Like I said, I was a late starter. A lot of people say it’s because of what happened, but I know I was like that before. I know it’s just me.
Anyway as you know my Grandmother brought me up. She’s my Dad’s Mother. My Mum’s Mother died years and years ago in some kind duel or something. No one ever talked about it when I was around. It was the same with my parents. No one ever told me what really happened. Just that they were hurt so bad they couldn’t help them. Their minds were gone, some people said.” Harry fidgeted a little. He was feeling more uncomfortable with every second that Neville continued with his story.
“All my life I’ve always wondered…what it would have been like. What I would have been like.” He stopped and looked at the expression on Harry’s face. Harry felt a deep gut-wrenching tug at his heart and he felt slightly sick. Neville was watching him and Harry held his gaze.

“I guess…you do that too, huh?” Neville asked him quietly and Harry nodded slowly and sadly. He suddenly felt a kinship with Neville. They’d both lost their parents when they had been little more than a baern. And although their lives and upbringings had been so very different, Harry felt a connection. Harry stared out towards the window and frowned. It was dark already. He had left dinner little after 7:15 and the sky was pitch black.

“What’s up?” Neville had caught the frown.

“Oh nothing…well actually, it isn’t nothing. Have you noticed anything weird with the weather lately?” asked Harry. To his surprise Neville’s face suddenly brightened.

“Yes!” he cried. “I was beginning to think it was just me, but I was up really late this morning…as usual…” Harry grinned ”…And it was dark right up until 7:30 and it’s already dark now. It’s been bloody freezing too, for September.” Harry nodded in agreement, relieved that someone else had noticed it too.

“It’s like Autumn couldn’t be bothered this year and we’ve just skipped it completely and gone onto winter.” Harry said and Neville grinned and nodded.

“You can’t really tell around here coz it’s all evergreen trees in the Forest, but my Grandmother says it’s the same everywhere. Even some of the leaves are changing colour.” Harry’s eyebrows raised in surprise.

“Really? Weird. Hey Neville, I was wondering…I know this is personal…but you said recently you’ve been thinking about your Mum a lot.” He prompted gently, and Neville nodded.

“Yeah, and not the old ‘what if…’ thoughts. It’s like I keep having flashbacks. Little things keep coming back to me, things I’d forgotten. I remember her smiling, laughing and her hair. I always remember her hair. Long, golden curls, and I remember getting my fingers caught in it.” He stopped and smiled sadly, causing Harry’s heart to snag again. He couldn’t remember his Mother at all and it burned him inside sometimes.
“Recently, I don’t know, it’s like she’s watching me. Watching over me. First I thought maybe something had happened.” Harry tensed a little, that had occurred to him. He knew enough about the magic world to believe in ghosts. Several ghosts shared the castle after all. Maybe if Neville’s Mother had died, he spirit could indeed be watching over Neville. Neville began speaking again. “I even wrote to my Grandmother, but she says there’s no change at all. My Mother…she was hurt really bad, more than my Dad. They said…people said that they…tortured her to get information out of my Dad.” Harry recoiled from this information in disgust and the sickened expression on Neville’s face made Harry want to wrap him in a hug. This urge he declined. Mustering strength Harry never knew the timid boy never had, Neville continued.

“My Mother was always further gone than my Dad. Dad at least responds to the treatment sometimes, y’know, he’s in there somewhere, but Mum…” Neville trailed off, his voice becoming distant. “Gran told me when I was older, that when they found them my Mother was…” he was searching for words “…Lost. It was like she just wasn’t there anymore. Her body was…just a body. She never responded to any tests at all, no treatment could bring any kind of reaction. It was like her soul just…up and left.” Here Neville stopped and fell completely still. The room was icy silent and Harry could swear that in the dark stillness he could hear the wind in the trees outside. Neville’s voice broke the silence, and his words left Harry listening to the whispering breeze in wonder and contemplation.

“Sometimes…I wonder where she went.”

The time flew past to the weekend. Life was pretty uneventful for a few days and lessons went on as usual without any upsets. Snape seemed his usual self, although he didn’t take nearly as many points from Gryffindor as usual. He didn’t shout as much and although he was as moody and miserable as ever his new quiet countenance was putting the students on edge, especially Harry.

Harry was spending all his spare time (when Hermione wasn’t nagging about homework) with Ron on the Quidditch pitch and besides the time Ron swore there was a new ghost in the changing rooms that too was uneventful. He’d come running onto the pitch his robes over his head shouting and cursing. After Harry had calmed him down and made himself stop laughing at Ron’s semi-dressed state he had managed to get from Ron that whilst changing a set of drawers had shot straight out of the cabinets and hurled themselves across the room at him. Harry had raised a sceptic eyebrow and to save argument just accepted Ron’s ranting. Apparently on leaving the room, Ron had heard footsteps and giggling as he ran down the corridor to the pitch. However upon mentioning this to Nearly Headless Nick at breakfast the next morning (Saturday), the gallant ghost informed them that he knew of no new ghost and suggested that maybe Peeves was up to his usual tricks. Secretly Harry thought this was exactly what had happened, though of course he didn’t mention this to the still steaming redhead who was now insisting that some of the Slytherins must have sneaked in and cursed the drawers to fly at him just to take him out the running for the try-outs on Saturday.

The rest of the Gryffindors were taking his ranting quietly with a pinch of salt and even one or two grins, but it was he started accusing some the other prospective Gryffindor students of trying to take him out of the try-outs that the arguments started. It started with George and Fred telling him quite pleasantly that none of the Gryffindors would do that and Ron arguing back saying some people were obsessed with getting on the team and would do anything to relax the competition. This was followed by an angry retort from Heather Summer, a fiery 6th year, who told Ron quite irritably that he was the obsessive one and he should think twice before accusing innocent people of such slander.

It was on the brink of maybe quietening down when Ron announced that not only was he obviously in the running for both chaser and keeper and that many people would like to see him out of the way. Many just stared in disbelief at the sudden arrogance Ron was displaying and he received nudged from Harry and Hermione to calm down when he was attacked by the most unlikely of people imaginable. Without warning Ron received the hardest slap across the face he’d ever felt and stared wide-eyed at the person who dealt it. With hair and face to match Ron’s Ginny towered over him her features and stance furious. For a few seconds no one spoke. Ron and Ginny stared each other with a hatred Harry didn’t remember seeing in either of them before. However before anyone could ask what was going on a large bundle of papers slammed onto the table right between the furious siblings making them both jump.

“Mail’s here!” came the anonymous cries from around the room and everyone looked up to see the owl post swooping across the enchanted ceiling above them. Letters and bundles hurtled to the tables like giant hailstones causing Ron to become even more irate when a letter from home landed in his plate. It was now spattled in crimson due to the pint of ketchup Ron always insisted on having on his bacon. Growling fiercely he threw it to his brothers who did their best to wipe it clean. Another yelp drew Harry’s attention as Neville was bombarded by what seemed like the entire contents of a Newsagents. Throwing Harry a grin, Neville began to unwrap the clump of newspapers skimming the headlines as he went.

“That’s from Charlie!” cried Ron and everyone stared at him. He was staring furiously at Ginny again who defiantly covered the letter she’d received with both her arms.

“So?” she retorted and continued reading her letter seemingly just to spite him.

“Why would he write to you?” he asked again incredulously.

“What’s that of yours?” she snarled. “It’s my letter and it’s my business, so stay out of it.” She snapped again and Ron was practically simmering on the spot with anger. Just when everyone thought the little bickering had stopped Ron spoke again and Harry was getting a little tired of Ron’s attitude and behaviour. Valuing his life however, he thought it unwise to actually say so.

“I know what’s going on y’know.” Ginny stared back defiantly, daring him to continue. Unfortunately he did. “It won’t do you any good you should know that. So you keep your stupid letter, I don’t care. We’ll see what happens.” The pair of them stared each other out for a few seconds before Ginny slowly and deliberately put her letter safely in her bag, got up from the table and walked calmly from the room. Fred was the one to speak.

“You know one of these days, we’ll have a meal without any arguments or people storming from the table.” He received a grin from George but besides that only wary glances were passed around the room, as though they were all scared of who might be next to start screaming.

The next person to do so was actually Neville and he got several nervous looks before they realised his scream was actually a cry of surprise. Everyone besides Harry went back to their sombre breakfast. Neville passed Harry two newspapers. One was the daily prophet and the other, to his surprise was a Muggle paper: The Daily Mail. He picked up the Daily Prophet first scanning the page for anything that could have prompted such a strange reaction from Neville.

“Right hand side.” Neville instructed and Harry realised what all the fuss was about. It took up an entire column and with a bold headline that made his blood run cold.

Mysterious Spell Cancels Autumn

Experts at the Ministry this week have confirmed that the unusual weather and practical absence of Autumn has indeed been caused by an unknown source of magic.

The spell, whatever it is, is worldwide, although seems to be stronger right here in Britain. The effects are so horrific that even the Muggles have noticed and has caused much excitement and speculation in their media. Our muggle correspondents in the government have reached an agreement with our own Ministry to do the best they can to cover up this from the Muggle public. They are confident that for a time at least their ‘scientists’ can offer a false explanation for the prodigal events affecting the environment.

In the meantime the search continues to find the perpetrator responsible for this horrendous misuse of power…

Harry looked up from the article in horror.

“So it wasn’t just us then.” He said and Neville nodded.

“Something extremely weird is going on. Even the Muggles know something’s up.”

“Oi!” protested Hermione in defence of her family and Neville apologised sheepishly.

“Well I’d love to see what explanation the scientists have come up with. Probably some dribble about tectonic movements, or the orbit of the moon.” Added Hermione and Harry passed her the Muggle paper so she could read through it. Every now and then they heard her chuckle or mutter “what a load of tripe” as she skimmed through the scientific reports and weather maps. “Oh well, at least the public are eating it up. I wonder what’s really going on.” She added as an afterthought. She handed the paper back to Harry who began skimming through it to see if anything interesting had happened in the Muggle world since he’d left. Not much of interest really.

“Any footy news?” asked Seamus and a few other Muggle-borns pricked their ears up. Harry flipped to the back page and read out the latest results and the highlights from the Leeds-Liverpool match in which Liverpool had creamed the other team in a 3-0 win. The students from wizarding families listened with interest but they all concluded at the end that Quidditch was a far better game and Harry had to agree with them.

“I can’t believe it’s the try-outs already.” Squealed a nervous Ravenclaw who Harry knew was thinking of trying out. The Ravenclaws were trying out this morning straight after breakfast and the Gryffindors had the pitch all afternoon, though the team had already decided that the trials would not begin until 4’o clock to give all the hopefuls some warm up time.

“Oh that reminds me. Guys, Harry, Alicia, we’re holding a team meeting at 2pm. We have some things to discuss.” Announced Angelina to the existing team members who all nodded a little curiously. The room was buzzing with excited chatter now as everyone discussed the upcoming try-outs. Slytherin and Hufflepuff had try outs the next day and Harry already knew the Slytherins were planning to spy on the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw try-outs to give them a clearer idea of the competition. Slytherin of course were minus a seeker since Draco Malfoy still hadn’t turned up and they were contemplating holding seeker try-outs just in case he never did. To everyone’s relief Marcus Flint had finally graduated so they were also missing a captain and a chaser.

Harry was just wondering how Ron would bear up in the try-outs when he was in such a foul mood when something in the Muggle paper caught his eye and made him freeze. He skimmed the tiny article rapidly his heart pounding rapidly in his chest.

“Neville, can I borrow this?” he asked quietly motioning to the paper.

“Sure.” Neville answered breezily and returned to his discussion with Christine.

Harry tucked the paper under his arm and slipped from the table without anyone noticing he had gone.

Once alone in the common room he unfolded the paper and laid it out on the table in front of him flipping to the page he had been reading.

Farmer Sees Man-Dog

Local Cornish Farmer Jacob Growse claimed a mysterious man broke into his farmyard barn late Thursday night.
The 37 year old was awoken in the early hours of Friday morning when his livestock became agitated. Taking only a broom as his defence he went to investigate. Growse claims he saw a dark man enter the chicken shed and decided to challenge the intruder. However upon entering the shed the only living thing besides the chickens inside the barn was an extremely large, black dog, which quickly ran past the farmer and escaped over the fields.

The article continued but Harry had read enough. Many things were uncertain right now, but one thing he was sure of.

Sirius was alive.

06-23-2008, 08:40 AM	#48 (permalink)
Krysta Jarvey Join Date: May 2008 Location: Leicester, UK Posts: 567 Hogwarts RPG Name: Krysta Hedwig Sixth Year	*Chapter 13, part 3* “Er, Harry?” The voice snapped him out of his thoughts like a lightning bolt. He looked from his diary to see Neville staring down at him. That was the last person he’d expected to see. Automatically he covered the diary with his arm, even though he knew Neville couldn’t read it. He closed it and placed it beside him on the bed. Neville looked uncomfortable and Harry felt guilty enough to put him out of his misery. “Listen, Nev, I’m really sorry.” Neville immediately shook his head and held up his hand in protest. Harry was surprised. “No, Harry. I’m sorry. Ok, I was upset, but I didn’t need to explode like that.” He paused as though searching for words. Harry motioned for him to sit down, and Neville accepted, popping himself on the end of Harry’s bed. “I’ve been really testy recently.” He began. Harry watched him, searching his features for some sign of what might be troubling his friend. He found such a confused plethora of emotions that Harry could ascertain nothing from them at all. Instead he waited for Neville to speak. “Y’see, I’ve kinda been thinking about Mum a lot recently. Oh that sounds terrible. I mean I think bout my parents all the time. I think about what it would have been like…I lost them when I was very young. They were attacked.” Neville broke off for a moment and Harry felt uncomfortable. He already knew what had happened to Neville’s parents, and who had been responsible. But Neville was unaware of this, and the fact that Harry probably knew more about Neville’s parents’ demise than Neville himself made Harry feel strangely awkward. With much discomfort he remained quiet and allowed Neville to say what he so badly needed to. “I was barely walking when it happened. But I was always a late starter.” They both smiled. To be fair to Neville, his slow and painful start in the world of magic 4 years ago had slowly dissolved and with a few prods in the right direction, Neville was on his way to being an extremely accomplished magical Herbologist. “I was probably two or so. Like I said, I was a late starter. A lot of people say it’s because of what happened, but I know I was like that before. I know it’s just me. Anyway as you know my Grandmother brought me up. She’s my Dad’s Mother. My Mum’s Mother died years and years ago in some kind duel or something. No one ever talked about it when I was around. It was the same with my parents. No one ever told me what really happened. Just that they were hurt so bad they couldn’t help them. Their minds were gone, some people said.” Harry fidgeted a little. He was feeling more uncomfortable with every second that Neville continued with his story. “All my life I’ve always wondered…what it would have been like. What I would have been like.” He stopped and looked at the expression on Harry’s face. Harry felt a deep gut-wrenching tug at his heart and he felt slightly sick. Neville was watching him and Harry held his gaze. “I guess…you do that too, huh?” Neville asked him quietly and Harry nodded slowly and sadly. He suddenly felt a kinship with Neville. They’d both lost their parents when they had been little more than a baern. And although their lives and upbringings had been so very different, Harry felt a connection. Harry stared out towards the window and frowned. It was dark already. He had left dinner little after 7:15 and the sky was pitch black. “What’s up?” Neville had caught the frown. “Oh nothing…well actually, it isn’t nothing. Have you noticed anything weird with the weather lately?” asked Harry. To his surprise Neville’s face suddenly brightened. “Yes!” he cried. “I was beginning to think it was just me, but I was up really late this morning…as usual…” Harry grinned ”…And it was dark right up until 7:30 and it’s already dark now. It’s been bloody freezing too, for September.” Harry nodded in agreement, relieved that someone else had noticed it too. “It’s like Autumn couldn’t be bothered this year and we’ve just skipped it completely and gone onto winter.” Harry said and Neville grinned and nodded. “You can’t really tell around here coz it’s all evergreen trees in the Forest, but my Grandmother says it’s the same everywhere. Even some of the leaves are changing colour.” Harry’s eyebrows raised in surprise. “Really? Weird. Hey Neville, I was wondering…I know this is personal…but you said recently you’ve been thinking about your Mum a lot.” He prompted gently, and Neville nodded. “Yeah, and not the old ‘what if…’ thoughts. It’s like I keep having flashbacks. Little things keep coming back to me, things I’d forgotten. I remember her smiling, laughing and her hair. I always remember her hair. Long, golden curls, and I remember getting my fingers caught in it.” He stopped and smiled sadly, causing Harry’s heart to snag again. He couldn’t remember his Mother at all and it burned him inside sometimes. “Recently, I don’t know, it’s like she’s watching me. Watching over me. First I thought maybe something had happened.” Harry tensed a little, that had occurred to him. He knew enough about the magic world to believe in ghosts. Several ghosts shared the castle after all. Maybe if Neville’s Mother had died, he spirit could indeed be watching over Neville. Neville began speaking again. “I even wrote to my Grandmother, but she says there’s no change at all. My Mother…she was hurt really bad, more than my Dad. They said…people said that they…tortured her to get information out of my Dad.” Harry recoiled from this information in disgust and the sickened expression on Neville’s face made Harry want to wrap him in a hug. This urge he declined. Mustering strength Harry never knew the timid boy never had, Neville continued. “My Mother was always further gone than my Dad. Dad at least responds to the treatment sometimes, y’know, he’s in there somewhere, but Mum…” Neville trailed off, his voice becoming distant. “Gran told me when I was older, that when they found them my Mother was…” he was searching for words “…Lost. It was like she just wasn’t there anymore. Her body was…just a body. She never responded to any tests at all, no treatment could bring any kind of reaction. It was like her soul just…up and left.” Here Neville stopped and fell completely still. The room was icy silent and Harry could swear that in the dark stillness he could hear the wind in the trees outside. Neville’s voice broke the silence, and his words left Harry listening to the whispering breeze in wonder and contemplation. “Sometimes…I wonder where she went.” The time flew past to the weekend. Life was pretty uneventful for a few days and lessons went on as usual without any upsets. Snape seemed his usual self, although he didn’t take nearly as many points from Gryffindor as usual. He didn’t shout as much and although he was as moody and miserable as ever his new quiet countenance was putting the students on edge, especially Harry. Harry was spending all his spare time (when Hermione wasn’t nagging about homework) with Ron on the Quidditch pitch and besides the time Ron swore there was a new ghost in the changing rooms that too was uneventful. He’d come running onto the pitch his robes over his head shouting and cursing. After Harry had calmed him down and made himself stop laughing at Ron’s semi-dressed state he had managed to get from Ron that whilst changing a set of drawers had shot straight out of the cabinets and hurled themselves across the room at him. Harry had raised a sceptic eyebrow and to save argument just accepted Ron’s ranting. Apparently on leaving the room, Ron had heard footsteps and giggling as he ran down the corridor to the pitch. However upon mentioning this to Nearly Headless Nick at breakfast the next morning (Saturday), the gallant ghost informed them that he knew of no new ghost and suggested that maybe Peeves was up to his usual tricks. Secretly Harry thought this was exactly what had happened, though of course he didn’t mention this to the still steaming redhead who was now insisting that some of the Slytherins must have sneaked in and cursed the drawers to fly at him just to take him out the running for the try-outs on Saturday. The rest of the Gryffindors were taking his ranting quietly with a pinch of salt and even one or two grins, but it was he started accusing some the other prospective Gryffindor students of trying to take him out of the try-outs that the arguments started. It started with George and Fred telling him quite pleasantly that none of the Gryffindors would do that and Ron arguing back saying some people were obsessed with getting on the team and would do anything to relax the competition. This was followed by an angry retort from Heather Summer, a fiery 6th year, who told Ron quite irritably that he was the obsessive one and he should think twice before accusing innocent people of such slander. It was on the brink of maybe quietening down when Ron announced that not only was he obviously in the running for both chaser and keeper and that many people would like to see him out of the way. Many just stared in disbelief at the sudden arrogance Ron was displaying and he received nudged from Harry and Hermione to calm down when he was attacked by the most unlikely of people imaginable. Without warning Ron received the hardest slap across the face he’d ever felt and stared wide-eyed at the person who dealt it. With hair and face to match Ron’s Ginny towered over him her features and stance furious. For a few seconds no one spoke. Ron and Ginny stared each other with a hatred Harry didn’t remember seeing in either of them before. However before anyone could ask what was going on a large bundle of papers slammed onto the table right between the furious siblings making them both jump. “Mail’s here!” came the anonymous cries from around the room and everyone looked up to see the owl post swooping across the enchanted ceiling above them. Letters and bundles hurtled to the tables like giant hailstones causing Ron to become even more irate when a letter from home landed in his plate. It was now spattled in crimson due to the pint of ketchup Ron always insisted on having on his bacon. Growling fiercely he threw it to his brothers who did their best to wipe it clean. Another yelp drew Harry’s attention as Neville was bombarded by what seemed like the entire contents of a Newsagents. Throwing Harry a grin, Neville began to unwrap the clump of newspapers skimming the headlines as he went. “That’s from Charlie!” cried Ron and everyone stared at him. He was staring furiously at Ginny again who defiantly covered the letter she’d received with both her arms. “So?” she retorted and continued reading her letter seemingly just to spite him. “Why would he write to you?” he asked again incredulously. “What’s that of yours?” she snarled. “It’s my letter and it’s my business, so stay out of it.” She snapped again and Ron was practically simmering on the spot with anger. Just when everyone thought the little bickering had stopped Ron spoke again and Harry was getting a little tired of Ron’s attitude and behaviour. Valuing his life however, he thought it unwise to actually say so. “I know what’s going on y’know.” Ginny stared back defiantly, daring him to continue. Unfortunately he did. “It won’t do you any good you should know that. So you keep your stupid letter, I don’t care. We’ll see what happens.” The pair of them stared each other out for a few seconds before Ginny slowly and deliberately put her letter safely in her bag, got up from the table and walked calmly from the room. Fred was the one to speak. “You know one of these days, we’ll have a meal without any arguments or people storming from the table.” He received a grin from George but besides that only wary glances were passed around the room, as though they were all scared of who might be next to start screaming. The next person to do so was actually Neville and he got several nervous looks before they realised his scream was actually a cry of surprise. Everyone besides Harry went back to their sombre breakfast. Neville passed Harry two newspapers. One was the daily prophet and the other, to his surprise was a Muggle paper: The Daily Mail. He picked up the Daily Prophet first scanning the page for anything that could have prompted such a strange reaction from Neville. “Right hand side.” Neville instructed and Harry realised what all the fuss was about. It took up an entire column and with a bold headline that made his blood run cold. Mysterious Spell Cancels Autumn Experts at the Ministry this week have confirmed that the unusual weather and practical absence of Autumn has indeed been caused by an unknown source of magic. The spell, whatever it is, is worldwide, although seems to be stronger right here in Britain. The effects are so horrific that even the Muggles have noticed and has caused much excitement and speculation in their media. Our muggle correspondents in the government have reached an agreement with our own Ministry to do the best they can to cover up this from the Muggle public. They are confident that for a time at least their ‘scientists’ can offer a false explanation for the prodigal events affecting the environment. In the meantime the search continues to find the perpetrator responsible for this horrendous misuse of power… Harry looked up from the article in horror. “So it wasn’t just us then.” He said and Neville nodded. “Something extremely weird is going on. Even the Muggles know something’s up.” “Oi!” protested Hermione in defence of her family and Neville apologised sheepishly. “Well I’d love to see what explanation the scientists have come up with. Probably some dribble about tectonic movements, or the orbit of the moon.” Added Hermione and Harry passed her the Muggle paper so she could read through it. Every now and then they heard her chuckle or mutter “what a load of tripe” as she skimmed through the scientific reports and weather maps. “Oh well, at least the public are eating it up. I wonder what’s really going on.” She added as an afterthought. She handed the paper back to Harry who began skimming through it to see if anything interesting had happened in the Muggle world since he’d left. Not much of interest really. “Any footy news?” asked Seamus and a few other Muggle-borns pricked their ears up. Harry flipped to the back page and read out the latest results and the highlights from the Leeds-Liverpool match in which Liverpool had creamed the other team in a 3-0 win. The students from wizarding families listened with interest but they all concluded at the end that Quidditch was a far better game and Harry had to agree with them. “I can’t believe it’s the try-outs already.” Squealed a nervous Ravenclaw who Harry knew was thinking of trying out. The Ravenclaws were trying out this morning straight after breakfast and the Gryffindors had the pitch all afternoon, though the team had already decided that the trials would not begin until 4’o clock to give all the hopefuls some warm up time. “Oh that reminds me. Guys, Harry, Alicia, we’re holding a team meeting at 2pm. We have some things to discuss.” Announced Angelina to the existing team members who all nodded a little curiously. The room was buzzing with excited chatter now as everyone discussed the upcoming try-outs. Slytherin and Hufflepuff had try outs the next day and Harry already knew the Slytherins were planning to spy on the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw try-outs to give them a clearer idea of the competition. Slytherin of course were minus a seeker since Draco Malfoy still hadn’t turned up and they were contemplating holding seeker try-outs just in case he never did. To everyone’s relief Marcus Flint had finally graduated so they were also missing a captain and a chaser. Harry was just wondering how Ron would bear up in the try-outs when he was in such a foul mood when something in the Muggle paper caught his eye and made him freeze. He skimmed the tiny article rapidly his heart pounding rapidly in his chest. “Neville, can I borrow this?” he asked quietly motioning to the paper. “Sure.” Neville answered breezily and returned to his discussion with Christine. Harry tucked the paper under his arm and slipped from the table without anyone noticing he had gone. Once alone in the common room he unfolded the paper and laid it out on the table in front of him flipping to the page he had been reading. Farmer Sees Man-Dog Local Cornish Farmer Jacob Growse claimed a mysterious man broke into his farmyard barn late Thursday night. The 37 year old was awoken in the early hours of Friday morning when his livestock became agitated. Taking only a broom as his defence he went to investigate. Growse claims he saw a dark man enter the chicken shed and decided to challenge the intruder. However upon entering the shed the only living thing besides the chickens inside the barn was an extremely large, black dog, which quickly ran past the farmer and escaped over the fields. The article continued but Harry had read enough. Many things were uncertain right now, but one thing he was sure of. Sirius was alive. __________________ Last edited by Krysta; 06-23-2008 at 10:08 AM.