𝓘'𝓶 𝓨𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓒𝓪𝓼𝓪𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓪 {𝓗𝓮𝓻𝓶𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓖𝓻𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓻}

20

The storm had blown itself out by the following morning, though the ceiling in the Great Hall was still gloomy; heavy clouds of pewter gray swirled overhead as we examined our new course schedules at breakfast. A few seats along, Fred, George, and Lee Jordan were discussing magical methods of aging themselves and bluffing their way into the Triwizard Tournament.

"Today's not bad...outside all morning," Ron said, who was running his finger down the Monday column of his schedule. "Herbology with the Hufflepuffs and Care of Magical Creatures...damn it, we're still with the Slytherins...."

"Double Divination this afternoon," Harry groaned, looking down. Divination was his least favorite subject, apart from Potions.

"You should have given it up like Chase and I, shouldn't you?" Hermione said briskly, buttering herself some toast. "Then you'd be doing something sensible like Arithmancy"

"Yeah, Mate I don't fancy a subject that predicting my future when I'm the one making it" I said.

"You're eating again, I notice" Ron said, watching Hermione adding liberal amounts of jam to her toast too.

"I've decided there are better ways of making a stand about elf rights" Hermione said haughtily.

"Yeah...and you were hungry" Ron said, grinning.

______________________________________________________________________________

The next couple of days seemed to pass by in a blur. In Herbology, Professor Sprout introduced Bubotubers, which had contained pus that was essential in the remedy for acne. Hagrid had brought out Blast-Ended Skrewts in Care of Magical Creatures; imagine the disgust when after dealing with pus, the students were forced to feed the small, mischievous beasts frog livers...

I had Arithmancy with Hermione, we grew closer because of that but I couldn't say the same about Ron and Harry's experience with Divination Ron had made a cheeky comment about the planet, Uranus that sent Trelawney on a warpath, so she assigned homework that was destined to take days.

"Miserable old bat" Ron said bitterly as we joined the crowds descending the staircases back to the Great Hall and dinner. "That'll take all weekend, that will..."

"Lots of homework?" Hermione said brightly, "Professor Vector didn't give us any at all!"

"Yeah which gives us a lot of free time" I added.

"Well, bully for Professor Vector," Ron said moodily.

We reached the entrance hall, which was packed with people queuing for dinner. We had just joined the end of the line when a loud voice rang out behind us.

"Weasley! Hey, Weasley!"

Harry, Ron, Hermione and I turned. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were standing there, each looking thoroughly pleased about something.

"What?" Ron said shortly.

"Your dad's in the paper, Weasley!" Malfoy said, brandishing a copy of the Daily Prophet and speaking very loudly so that everyone in the packed entrance hall could hear. "Listen to this!

FURTHER MISTAKES AT THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC

It seems as though the Ministry of Magic's troubles is not yet at an end, writes Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent. Recently under fire for its poor crowd control at the Quidditch World Cup, and still unable to account for the disappearance of one of its witches, the Ministry was plunged into fresh embarrassment yesterday by the antics of Arnold Weasley, of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office."

Malfoy looked up.

"Imagine them not even getting his name right, Weasley. It's almost as though he's a complete nonentity, isn't it?" he crowed.