Fixing the past (Sirry)

Chapter 17

The double attack on Justin and Nearly Headless Nick turned what had hitherto been nervousness into real panic. Curiously, it was Nearly Headless Nick's fate that seemed to worry people most. What could possibly do that to a ghost? people asked each other; what terrible power could harm someone who was already dead? There was almost a stampede to book seats on the Hogwarts Express so that students could go home for Christmas.

And the trio wasn't the exception.

"The good thing is we aren't staying," Ron said to Harry and Hermione. "The castle is going to be empty."

Harry agreed with that, everyone was called to the Black's House without exception, Draco had been prompted by his father to stay in the castle, but he was called by his uncles and Lucius couldn't do anything, because when Lord Black says something, that is.

But even though Harry wasn't involved in the attacks because he wasn't close to the attack areas, the fact that he spoke Parseltongue made everyone's hair stand on end. He was even worried about Dumbledore's failure to summon him to his office, which he needed, but he wasn't about to stay in the castle for that, Christmas would be spent with his family, although for everyone he would actually spend it with Hermione's muggle family like Ron; something that they were very diligent in spreading throughout the castle, despite that he was furious.

He was tired of people skirting around him in the corridors, as though he were about to sprout fangs or spit poison; tired of all the muttering,pointing, and hissing as he passed.

Fred and George, however, found all this very funny. They went out of their way to march ahead of Harry down the corridors, shouting, "Make way for the Heir of Slytherin, seriously evil wizard coming through...."

Percy was deeply disapproving of this behaviour. Not that Harry didn't do it too, but he could find the fun in it.

"It is not a laughing matter," he said coldly.

"Oh, get out of the way, Percy," said Fred.

"Harry's in a hurry."

"Yeah, he's off to the Chamber of Secrets for a cup of tea with his fanged servant," said George, chortling.

Ginny didn't find it amusing either. But it was because she had skeletons in her closet and not because under normal circumstances she wouldn't find the situation funny.

"Oh, don't," she wailed every time Fred asked Harry loudly who he was planning to attack next, or when George pretended to ward Harry off with a large clove of garlic when they met.

Which made him roll his eyes and want to cast a spell on the redhead's legs, but he controlled himself in favour of not waging a prank war with those two.

Harry didn't mind; it made him feel better that Fred and George, at least,thought the idea of his being Slytherin's heir was quite ludicrous. But their antics seemed to be aggravating Draco Malfoy, who looked increasingly sour each time he saw them at it. And it was logical, he understood, his cousin was concerned for his safety, not only now, but also later.

"It's going to happen to him once we're home," Ron said sententiously. "I've already heard him ranting at your aunt to convince you to control the twins and prevent your name from being taken as a joke later."

"Which I agree with," Hermione said in a satisfied tone, "But we can't stop those two, not if we don't want to raise suspicions."

At last the term ended and the whole school fell into silence as vast as snow in the fields. But they couldn't enjoy it because they were in the hustle and bustle of the train to London. Ron would have his first Holidays away from his entire family since he was given permission to go to Hermione's house after the Grangers wrote to the Weasleys and convinced them, so they would spend the winter holidays at the Black's House with Harry's family. While Fred, George, and Ginny had chosen to stay at school rather than visit Bill in Egypt with their parents. Of course, the twins complained a lot that they give Ron permission to go out of school with a friend, but after the boy claimed that he was a lesser danger than them, they laughed and agreed with him. Percy had told them pompously that he was only staying over Christmas because it was his duty as a prefect to support the teachers during this troubled time.