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Harry Potter sixth year
Saturday, November 29, 2003
It was the day of the second Quidditch match of the season, Hufflepuff vs. Ravenclaw. Even though Gryffindor was not playing, Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked to the Quidditch pitch to watch the match.
“The two Captains shake hands,” Dean Thomas announced as seventh-year Roger Davies shook hands with the new Hufflepuff Captain, sixth-year Zack Smith. “And they’re off. It’s Davies with the Quaffle. He advances the Quaffle down the pitch heading towards the Hufflepuff Keeper Summers, but oh, he dodges a Bludger but drops the Quaffle, and the Quaffle is recovered by Smith.”
Zack moved down towards the goals. He shot a goal past the new Ravenclaw Keeper, sixth-year Terry Boot, and Hufflepuff took the first lead, 10-nil.
The Ravenclaw Chasers passed the Quaffle amongst themselves down the pitch. Rose Zeller, the new Hufflepuff Beater and only in her second year, tried to aim a Bludger towards Roger, but it misses and Roger scores to tie the score at 10-all. Harry could hear Luna’s eagle hat going off. The Bludger ended up hitting one of Rose’s own teammates, but he was all right.
“Sorry, Sommersby,” said Rose loudly.
Now the Hufflepuff Chasers advanced the Quaffle. Sarah Fawcett, one of the Ravenclaw Beaters, hit Zack with a Bludger, and Roger recovered the Quaffle. He sped down the pitch on his Nimbus 2003, and shot for one of the goalposts, but it was aimed directly at the Ravenclaw Keeper.
“And Summers blocks the Quaffle with a good hard kick,” Dean continued, “and, what’s this? The Quaffle sails all the way across the pitch and into one of the goalposts! I don’t believe it! Hufflepuff scores! It’s now 20-10 to Hufflepuff.”
Harry smiled at Ron. Of course Harry had seen Ron accomplish the feat of knocking the Quaffle into the other side’s goal, albeit accidentally, during practice the previous week. But not even Harry realized that in actual game, it counted as a score.
Neither, apparently, did the Ravenclaw players. All of them, except for the Seeker Cho Chang, flew directly towards Madame Hooch and began to argue.
“How can that goal count?” Roger yelled at Madame Hooch. “Summers ain’t even a Chaser!”
While the Ravenclaws were arguing, the Hufflepuff Chasers scored three uncontested goals before the Ravenclaws returned to the playing area, to extend their lead to 50-10.
Roger had the Quaffle once again. He had advanced down the pitch and scored as he shot the Quaffle past the Hufflepuff Keeper to make it 50-20. Zack recovered the Quaffle. He was just about to score when his own Beater, Rose, trying to keep her eyes out for a Bludger, accidentally made contact with the Snitch.
Madam Hooch blew her whistle. “Snitchsnatch Foul on Zeller. Penalty shot for Ravenclaw!”
“So that’s a yellow card on Zeller, or --” Dean began.
“This is Quidditch, not football,” Professor McGonagall reminded him.
“Sorry, Smith,” said Rose loudly. Roger made the penalty shot to make the score 50-30 to Hufflepuff. The Hufflepuff team now possessed the Quaffle, but Terry Boot made a great save. Inspired by his counterpart’s long goal earlier, he threw the Quaffle as hard as he could down the pitch.
While this was going on, Cho spotted the Snitch. But she didn’t see a Zeller Bludger heading for her. She was knocked off her broom unconscious. Sommersby caught the Snitch and Hufflepuff won, 200-30.
“The two Captains shake hands,” Dean Thomas announced as seventh-year Roger Davies shook hands with the new Hufflepuff Captain, sixth-year Zack Smith. “And they’re off. It’s Davies with the Quaffle. He advances the Quaffle down the pitch heading towards the Hufflepuff Keeper Summers, but oh, he dodges a Bludger but drops the Quaffle, and the Quaffle is recovered by Smith.”
Zack moved down towards the goals. He shot a goal past the new Ravenclaw Keeper, sixth-year Terry Boot, and Hufflepuff took the first lead, 10-nil.
The Ravenclaw Chasers passed the Quaffle amongst themselves down the pitch. Rose Zeller, the new Hufflepuff Beater and only in her second year, tried to aim a Bludger towards Roger, but it misses and Roger scores to tie the score at 10-all. Harry could hear Luna’s eagle hat going off. The Bludger ended up hitting one of Rose’s own teammates, but he was all right.
“Sorry, Sommersby,” said Rose loudly.
Now the Hufflepuff Chasers advanced the Quaffle. Sarah Fawcett, one of the Ravenclaw Beaters, hit Zack with a Bludger, and Roger recovered the Quaffle. He sped down the pitch on his Nimbus 2003, and shot for one of the goalposts, but it was aimed directly at the Ravenclaw Keeper.
“And Summers blocks the Quaffle with a good hard kick,” Dean continued, “and, what’s this? The Quaffle sails all the way across the pitch and into one of the goalposts! I don’t believe it! Hufflepuff scores! It’s now 20-10 to Hufflepuff.”
Harry smiled at Ron. Of course Harry had seen Ron accomplish the feat of knocking the Quaffle into the other side’s goal, albeit accidentally, during practice the previous week. But not even Harry realized that in actual game, it counted as a score.
Neither, apparently, did the Ravenclaw players. All of them, except for the Seeker Cho Chang, flew directly towards Madame Hooch and began to argue.
“How can that goal count?” Roger yelled at Madame Hooch. “Summers ain’t even a Chaser!”
While the Ravenclaws were arguing, the Hufflepuff Chasers scored three uncontested goals before the Ravenclaws returned to the playing area, to extend their lead to 50-10.
Roger had the Quaffle once again. He had advanced down the pitch and scored as he shot the Quaffle past the Hufflepuff Keeper to make it 50-20. Zack recovered the Quaffle. He was just about to score when his own Beater, Rose, trying to keep her eyes out for a Bludger, accidentally made contact with the Snitch.
Madam Hooch blew her whistle. “Snitchsnatch Foul on Zeller. Penalty shot for Ravenclaw!”
“So that’s a yellow card on Zeller, or --” Dean began.
“This is Quidditch, not football,” Professor McGonagall reminded him.
“Sorry, Smith,” said Rose loudly. Roger made the penalty shot to make the score 50-30 to Hufflepuff. The Hufflepuff team now possessed the Quaffle, but Terry Boot made a great save. Inspired by his counterpart’s long goal earlier, he threw the Quaffle as hard as he could down the pitch.
While this was going on, Cho spotted the Snitch. But she didn’t see a Zeller Bludger heading for her. She was knocked off her broom unconscious. Sommersby caught the Snitch and Hufflepuff won, 200-30.
Friday, November 21, 2003
It was time for another Quidditch practice. Although the next match was between Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, the match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff had been moved up to December, and so Captain Katie Bell insisted on having extra practice. Hermione said that she would attend the practice, although she would be writing a Transfiguration essay at the same time, borrowing Harry's quill.
"We've been having a lot of trouble beating Hufflepuff the last few years," Katie explained. "They're obviously a good team, and so we must beat them if we are to have any chance of winning the Cup this year."
Harry thought back to third year. Gryffindor had lost to Hufflepuff, but that was because dementors had taken over the pitch and he had fallen off his broom. Then in fifth year, Hufflepuff had beaten Gryffindor because of Ron's poor Keeping ability. Hufflepuff won despite Ginny's capture of the Snitch.
Perhaps being reminded of his worst game made Ron a little nervous at practice. He kept letting in goal after goal after goal. He even repeated an embarrassing feat from the previous year, namely kicking the Quaffle all the way to the opposing goal.
"So," said Malfoy has he arrived at the pitch along with a group of Slytherins, "if only Weasley can kick the ball in the goal every time, I'd say the Gryffin-dorks actually have a chance of winning!"
"Shut up, Malfoy," said Katie. "We booked the pitch --"
"Oh, I forgot," Malfoy continued, "the real reason we won is because of Potter and his slo-mo broom."
The Slytherins all laughed. "Just ignore them," Katie advised the team. "We've got a match next month, but Slytherin don't play until spring term."
"Conjuro Ferrets!" Hermione pointed her wand at Malfoy, and an army of ferrets came out of her wand and raced towards him. Malfoy had been frightened of ferrets ever since the Mad-Eye incident, and so he and the other Slytherins fled.
"Wow," was all Ron said.
"I know," said Harry. "We've been doing conjuring animal spells in Transfiguration, but I still haven't got the hang of it yet."
And so the rest of the practice went uninterrupted.
"We've been having a lot of trouble beating Hufflepuff the last few years," Katie explained. "They're obviously a good team, and so we must beat them if we are to have any chance of winning the Cup this year."
Harry thought back to third year. Gryffindor had lost to Hufflepuff, but that was because dementors had taken over the pitch and he had fallen off his broom. Then in fifth year, Hufflepuff had beaten Gryffindor because of Ron's poor Keeping ability. Hufflepuff won despite Ginny's capture of the Snitch.
Perhaps being reminded of his worst game made Ron a little nervous at practice. He kept letting in goal after goal after goal. He even repeated an embarrassing feat from the previous year, namely kicking the Quaffle all the way to the opposing goal.
"So," said Malfoy has he arrived at the pitch along with a group of Slytherins, "if only Weasley can kick the ball in the goal every time, I'd say the Gryffin-dorks actually have a chance of winning!"
"Shut up, Malfoy," said Katie. "We booked the pitch --"
"Oh, I forgot," Malfoy continued, "the real reason we won is because of Potter and his slo-mo broom."
The Slytherins all laughed. "Just ignore them," Katie advised the team. "We've got a match next month, but Slytherin don't play until spring term."
"Conjuro Ferrets!" Hermione pointed her wand at Malfoy, and an army of ferrets came out of her wand and raced towards him. Malfoy had been frightened of ferrets ever since the Mad-Eye incident, and so he and the other Slytherins fled.
"Wow," was all Ron said.
"I know," said Harry. "We've been doing conjuring animal spells in Transfiguration, but I still haven't got the hang of it yet."
And so the rest of the practice went uninterrupted.
Tuesday, November 11, 2003
It was time for an Occlumency lesson with Snape. So Harry, Ron, and Hermione headed for the dungeon.
"I am returning your essays on the importance of Occlumency in the wake of the Second War," said Professor Snape. "I want Miss Granger to read her essay to the entire class."
Harry glanced at his own essay, which had merited another "P," as usual. Then Hermione stood up, walked up to the front of the classroom, and read.
Every Gryffindor was howling with laughter, especially at the description of Snape. The Slytherins, on the other hand, did not find Hermione's essay so funny.
"This is not what I asked you to write, Granger."
"I couldn't help it," Hermione insisted. "You see, the only quill I had was a Quick Quotes Quill, and so --"
"No excuses, Granger," said Snape. "That will be ten points from Gryffindor. And since you're here anyway, you might as well have some Occlumency practice. So one, two, three, Legilimens!"
But Hermione was a much better Occlumens than Harry, and so the only vision Snape saw was one of Hagrid from the previous school year.
"Who is that giant and what is he doing on Hogwarts grounds, anyway?" Snape asked coldly.
"It is Grawp, who's the half --" Hermione began.
"See," Malfoy grinned, "I told you that Hagrid had a very BIG problem."
"And so you decided not to inform the authorities that there is a giant," Snape continued, "a member of a race that's loyal to the Dark Lord, on Hogwarts grounds? So that's another ten points from Gryffindor."
"But --"
"Now sit down, Granger, and not another word with you or I'll deduct even more points from Gryffindor."
After class, Harry, Ron, and Hermione discussed the events of the day's Occlumency lesson.
"I don't like Occlumency," said Ron. "I mean, Snape took points from Gryffindor just because Hagrid brought Grawp home. What's next, Snape deducting points just because Harry was attacked by dementors?"
"At least I'm trying to improve," said Hermione. "Snape can still see all of your memories, Ron."
"Yes, but Snape still read your mind, Hermione," Harry went on. "Now you can see why I hate Occlumency."
"Enough," said Hermione. "Just let me borrow your quill for Arithmancy homework."
"I am returning your essays on the importance of Occlumency in the wake of the Second War," said Professor Snape. "I want Miss Granger to read her essay to the entire class."
Harry glanced at his own essay, which had merited another "P," as usual. Then Hermione stood up, walked up to the front of the classroom, and read.
The world's most skilled Occlumens is Snivellus Snape, who also happens to be the world's biggest git. He has managed to survive as a spy among the Order of the Phoenix, under the nose of Dumbledore, a noted skilled Legilimens who has good cause to be suspicious of Snape's loyalty. Dumbledore knows enough Occlumency that he can teach it if he wishes to, so Snape should just quit his post today and let Dumbledore teach it instead.
Every Gryffindor was howling with laughter, especially at the description of Snape. The Slytherins, on the other hand, did not find Hermione's essay so funny.
"This is not what I asked you to write, Granger."
"I couldn't help it," Hermione insisted. "You see, the only quill I had was a Quick Quotes Quill, and so --"
"No excuses, Granger," said Snape. "That will be ten points from Gryffindor. And since you're here anyway, you might as well have some Occlumency practice. So one, two, three, Legilimens!"
But Hermione was a much better Occlumens than Harry, and so the only vision Snape saw was one of Hagrid from the previous school year.
"Who is that giant and what is he doing on Hogwarts grounds, anyway?" Snape asked coldly.
"It is Grawp, who's the half --" Hermione began.
"See," Malfoy grinned, "I told you that Hagrid had a very BIG problem."
"And so you decided not to inform the authorities that there is a giant," Snape continued, "a member of a race that's loyal to the Dark Lord, on Hogwarts grounds? So that's another ten points from Gryffindor."
"But --"
"Now sit down, Granger, and not another word with you or I'll deduct even more points from Gryffindor."
After class, Harry, Ron, and Hermione discussed the events of the day's Occlumency lesson.
"I don't like Occlumency," said Ron. "I mean, Snape took points from Gryffindor just because Hagrid brought Grawp home. What's next, Snape deducting points just because Harry was attacked by dementors?"
"At least I'm trying to improve," said Hermione. "Snape can still see all of your memories, Ron."
"Yes, but Snape still read your mind, Hermione," Harry went on. "Now you can see why I hate Occlumency."
"Enough," said Hermione. "Just let me borrow your quill for Arithmancy homework."
Saturday, November 08, 2003
Today several owls delivered strange letters to the Gryffindor table at breakfast. The first owl was a Ministry owl and the letter was addressed to Harry, so he opened it and read it aloud to Ron and Hermione:
But then at that moment, another owl arrived at the Gryffindor table. It was from Bulgaria.
Hermione just ignored Ron and went up towards her dormitory at Gryffindor Tower.
The third owl to arrive was Hermes. But Hermes just went on by past Ron. Apparently the letter was not for Ron at all. It was for Ginny.
Ginny opened the scroll and read it aloud. It was very similar to the letter that Ron received from Percy the previous year.
"So Percy's still afraid of me?" asked Harry.
"Yeah, it seems that way," Ron replied. "And now he's trying to get Ginny to avoid you."
"He's going to be in the fire tonight," said Ginny.
"Say," Ron noted slyly, "that gives me an idea!"
So that night at midnight, Harry, Ron, and Ginny gathered by the fire after all the other Gryffindors had gone to bed. As expected, Percy, always known for his punctuality, appeared in the fire at exactly midnight.
"Hello, Ginny, Ron," said Percy, for Harry was hidden under his invisibility cloak. "I see that you decided to heed my letter, Ginny, and that you even convinced Ron to join the right side."
"So," said Ron, "what is this secret information you have about Dumbledore?"
"Actually, it is not about the headmaster himself," Percy began, "but it concerns your education. Ron, do you remember Griselda Marchbanks?"
"Yes," said Ron. "She sent an owl earlier today to tell Harry that he can retake his O.W.L. in Potions, because our Head of House wanted him to sit it again."
"That is the problem," said Percy. "Madame Marchbanks is now letting several students retake their Ordinary Wizarding Level examinations."
"So what?" asked Ron.
"The point is that all of the students who are allowed to retake their exams all have some connection to Professor Dumbledore. They all have family members in the Order of the Pheasant."
"That's Phoenix," Ginny corrected him.
"Whatever," Percy continued. "We all know that Potter is Dumbledore's favorite student. There is Bones of Hufflepuff, whose aunt I heard recently joined Dumbledore's Order. There is Lovegood of Ravenclaw, who is not even old enough to sit the exam. And of course, there is Longbottom, and we already know of his ties to the Order."
"It could be just a coincidence, or --" Ron began.
"You just admitted that Professor McGonagall, who I might add is a member of the Order, had some influence in the Potter situation. And in the Daily Prophet last year Madame Marchbanks openly admitted her loyalty to Professor Dumbledore."
"Why do you care Harry retakes a test?" asked Ginny.
"Because," Percy commented drily, "I worked my arse off to earn those twelve O.W.L.s and six N.E.W.T.s, and now Potter and several other students are being allowed second chances just because they believe in some nonsense about You Know Who returning --"
Harry could no longer control his anger. "IT IS NOT NONSENSE AT ALL! VOLDEMORT IS BACK I TELL YOU!"
"That cannot be Potter's voice I hear, can it?" Percy asked his siblings.
As Harry removed his invisibility cloak, he said, "And why are you still in denial about Voldemort's return? How do you think Cedric died? How do you think Sirius died? I mean, even Fudge now believes --"
"This isn't about Fudge or You-Know-Who," said Percy. "I think this is about getting unfair second chances at passing exams that you failed the first time."
"Oh, I see," said Ron. "Well, Harry's trying to be an Auror, so he has to take Potions."
"Yes," Ginny agreed, "and Snape won't take Harry unless he gets --"
"I should have known," Percy realized, "that you two are still being loyal to Potter. This I would have expected from Fred and George. I mean, they are troublemakers and Potter is a troublemaker, so of course they would sympathize with him. But you, Ron, were supposed to be the level-headed one. You were the one who was made Prefect. You were the one who had higher aspirations of being Head Boy. Yet you decide that you have to stay with miscreants like Potter. And you Ginny, have every reason to stay away from Potter, but --"
"Now!" Ron gave the cue. And so Harry and Ginny did the last thing Percy expected them to do at all -- they actually KISSED each other!
"How dare you defy me!" Percy called out. "So not only do you not stay away from Potter, but you actually --"
"Are you grossed out, Percy?" asked Ginny. "I mean, it's not as if you've never kissed anyone before. Remember Penny Clearwater?"
"I -- I -- I have to go," Percy stammered, and then his head disappeared from the fire.
"You should have seen the look on that git's face!" Ron laughed, as he, Harry, and Ginny could not suppress their giggling.
"There you guys are," said Hermione, who had just come down from the girls dormitory. "What are you guys laughing about this late at night?"
Ron explained the whole story.
"You really shouldn't have done that," said Hermione.
Harry decided to change the subject. "So Percy said that he just turned 20. I'm surprised he's that young."
"He was allowed to start Hogwarts at the age of ten because of his superior magical ability," Ron explained.
"And here he is complaining because he thinks Harry is getting special treatment," said Ginny.
"Oh, so he was only 16 when he started his seventh year," Hermione realized. "So that's why Percy wasn't old enough to Apparate in his seventh year, while Fred and George were."
"Well," said Harry, "I'm beat. Let's call it a night."
Dear Mr. Harry James Potter,
Upon the advice of your Head of House, Professor Minerva McGonagall, you have been selected to participate in a special retake of your Potions O.W.L. during the Christmas Holidays. It is hoped that you will improve on your marks from the test you took last summer. Depending on your marks, you will be admitted to N.E.W.T.-level Potions for Spring Term.
Sincerely,
Griselda Marchbanks
Head of the Wizarding Examinations
But then at that moment, another owl arrived at the Gryffindor table. It was from Bulgaria.
Dear Herm-own-ninny,
Terrible news! The Headmaster of Durmstrang has just been killed! Some little girl used something called the Green Flame Torch to kill him. Then she turned into an owl and flew away.
They say the little girl speaks with a British accent, so maybe she comes from your country. Then do you know anything about her? Do you know anything about the Green Flame Torch? Please write back, because everyone in our country needs help.
Thanks,
Victor
Hermione just ignored Ron and went up towards her dormitory at Gryffindor Tower.
The third owl to arrive was Hermes. But Hermes just went on by past Ron. Apparently the letter was not for Ron at all. It was for Ginny.
Ginny opened the scroll and read it aloud. It was very similar to the letter that Ron received from Percy the previous year.
Dear Ginny,
So you decided to throw your prefects badge away. That is perhaps the most shameful thing I have ever seen a Hogwarts student do. I am sure that Fred and George convinced you that it is better to play pranks all day than become school prefect. I hope that you will realize the error of your ways. Even though you are no longer prefect, I hope that you will become Head Girl in a couple of years.
I now will give you the same warning I gave our brother Ron last year. Obviously Ron decided not to heed my warning last year, but I hope that you will not make the same mistake he did. Of course, I am talking about Harry Potter. Over the years he has done several reckless things, but certainly nothing can be worse than sneaking off to the Ministry in the middle of the night, right in the middle of Hogwarts examinations. I heard that both you and Ron chose to accompany him. All you did was get yourselves hurt, which serves you right for blatantly breaking school rules.
I still have not spoken to our parents. Today is my twentieth birthday, but I doubt that they will give me anything after I returned the jumper last Christmas.
Do not respond to me by return owl. Instead I'll appear at the Gryffindor Common Room fire tonight at right around midnight. I have some more information that I learned about Hogwarts. I do not want Dumbledore or any of his loyalists to find out that I have been telling you this. Ginny, you are my last hope that someone in the Weasley family will listen to some common sense.
Your brother,
Percy
"So Percy's still afraid of me?" asked Harry.
"Yeah, it seems that way," Ron replied. "And now he's trying to get Ginny to avoid you."
"He's going to be in the fire tonight," said Ginny.
"Say," Ron noted slyly, "that gives me an idea!"
So that night at midnight, Harry, Ron, and Ginny gathered by the fire after all the other Gryffindors had gone to bed. As expected, Percy, always known for his punctuality, appeared in the fire at exactly midnight.
"Hello, Ginny, Ron," said Percy, for Harry was hidden under his invisibility cloak. "I see that you decided to heed my letter, Ginny, and that you even convinced Ron to join the right side."
"So," said Ron, "what is this secret information you have about Dumbledore?"
"Actually, it is not about the headmaster himself," Percy began, "but it concerns your education. Ron, do you remember Griselda Marchbanks?"
"Yes," said Ron. "She sent an owl earlier today to tell Harry that he can retake his O.W.L. in Potions, because our Head of House wanted him to sit it again."
"That is the problem," said Percy. "Madame Marchbanks is now letting several students retake their Ordinary Wizarding Level examinations."
"So what?" asked Ron.
"The point is that all of the students who are allowed to retake their exams all have some connection to Professor Dumbledore. They all have family members in the Order of the Pheasant."
"That's Phoenix," Ginny corrected him.
"Whatever," Percy continued. "We all know that Potter is Dumbledore's favorite student. There is Bones of Hufflepuff, whose aunt I heard recently joined Dumbledore's Order. There is Lovegood of Ravenclaw, who is not even old enough to sit the exam. And of course, there is Longbottom, and we already know of his ties to the Order."
"It could be just a coincidence, or --" Ron began.
"You just admitted that Professor McGonagall, who I might add is a member of the Order, had some influence in the Potter situation. And in the Daily Prophet last year Madame Marchbanks openly admitted her loyalty to Professor Dumbledore."
"Why do you care Harry retakes a test?" asked Ginny.
"Because," Percy commented drily, "I worked my arse off to earn those twelve O.W.L.s and six N.E.W.T.s, and now Potter and several other students are being allowed second chances just because they believe in some nonsense about You Know Who returning --"
Harry could no longer control his anger. "IT IS NOT NONSENSE AT ALL! VOLDEMORT IS BACK I TELL YOU!"
"That cannot be Potter's voice I hear, can it?" Percy asked his siblings.
As Harry removed his invisibility cloak, he said, "And why are you still in denial about Voldemort's return? How do you think Cedric died? How do you think Sirius died? I mean, even Fudge now believes --"
"This isn't about Fudge or You-Know-Who," said Percy. "I think this is about getting unfair second chances at passing exams that you failed the first time."
"Oh, I see," said Ron. "Well, Harry's trying to be an Auror, so he has to take Potions."
"Yes," Ginny agreed, "and Snape won't take Harry unless he gets --"
"I should have known," Percy realized, "that you two are still being loyal to Potter. This I would have expected from Fred and George. I mean, they are troublemakers and Potter is a troublemaker, so of course they would sympathize with him. But you, Ron, were supposed to be the level-headed one. You were the one who was made Prefect. You were the one who had higher aspirations of being Head Boy. Yet you decide that you have to stay with miscreants like Potter. And you Ginny, have every reason to stay away from Potter, but --"
"Now!" Ron gave the cue. And so Harry and Ginny did the last thing Percy expected them to do at all -- they actually KISSED each other!
"How dare you defy me!" Percy called out. "So not only do you not stay away from Potter, but you actually --"
"Are you grossed out, Percy?" asked Ginny. "I mean, it's not as if you've never kissed anyone before. Remember Penny Clearwater?"
"I -- I -- I have to go," Percy stammered, and then his head disappeared from the fire.
"You should have seen the look on that git's face!" Ron laughed, as he, Harry, and Ginny could not suppress their giggling.
"There you guys are," said Hermione, who had just come down from the girls dormitory. "What are you guys laughing about this late at night?"
Ron explained the whole story.
"You really shouldn't have done that," said Hermione.
Harry decided to change the subject. "So Percy said that he just turned 20. I'm surprised he's that young."
"He was allowed to start Hogwarts at the age of ten because of his superior magical ability," Ron explained.
"And here he is complaining because he thinks Harry is getting special treatment," said Ginny.
"Oh, so he was only 16 when he started his seventh year," Hermione realized. "So that's why Percy wasn't old enough to Apparate in his seventh year, while Fred and George were."
"Well," said Harry, "I'm beat. Let's call it a night."
