Before Things Change, Harry Potter Year 6

5. An Excess of Phlegm

Lilly's POV
We arrived at the back door and Mrs. Weasley greeted us. Tonks was there as well, she seemed troubled... She left and then Dumbledore left. Mrs. Weasley commented how the boys were growing so rapidly. I smiled and Mrs. Weasley hugged me. She asked, "Are you hungry, Lilly, Harry?"
Harry was hungry and I said, "I must get going, Mrs. Weasley, Neville must be wondering where I am, I better-"
"Nonsense, I can hear your stomach growling, I must insist you stay and have something to eat."
I smiled saying, "A bowl of soup couldn't hurt..." Harry and I ate for a bit and Mrs. Weasley wanted to know if Slughorn was back and I said, "Yes, it was rather easy."
She said, "He taught Arthur and me, he was at Hogwarts for ages, started around the same time as Dumbledore, I think. Did you like him?"
Harry shrugged and gave a nod. I said, "He seems too connected, like he can get himself out of any nasty spot..."
Mrs. Weasley nodded saying, "I know what you mean, of course he can be charming when he wants to be, but Arthur's never liked him much. The Ministry's littered with Slughorn's old favorites, he was always good at giving a leg up, but he never had much time for Arthur - didn't seem to think he was old enough of a highflier. Well, that just shows you, even Slughorn makes mistakes. Harry, I don't jnow whether Ron's told you in any of his letters - it's only just happened - but Arthur's been promoted!"
She was so happy for him, Harry quickly swallowed his hot soup and he gasped, "That's great!"
Mrs. Weasley said, "You are sweet, yes, Rufus Scrimgeour has set up several new offices in response to the present situation, and Arthur's heading the Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects. It's a big job, he's got ten people report to him now!" Harry wondered what the job's purpose was and Mrs. Weasley said, "Well, you see, in all the panic about You-Know-Who, odd things have been cropping up for sale everywhere, things that are supposed to guard against You-Know-Who and the Death Eaters. You can imagine the kind of thing - so called protective potion that are really gravy with a bit of bubotuber pus added, or instructions for defensive jinxes that actually make your ears fall off... Well, in the main the perpetrators ate just people like Mundungus Fletcher. So you see its a very important job."
Mr. Weasley was coming home and he did the Ministry procedure by asking questions and then noticed Harry and I. We talked for a bit and Mrs. Weasley sent Harry and I to bed.
We had to share a room because Hermione and Ginny were in Ginny's room and there was no room left. I wasn't complaining that much. At least there were two beds.

In the morning, the door busted open and Ron hit Harry upside the head. I grabbed my wand and shouted blindly, "Stupefy!" It hit the wall, narrowly missing Ron near his head! I said frustrated, "Never do that again!" I quickly put my glasses on, we talked about Slughorn and then Ginny came and sat on my bed talking about someone, making Harry and I confused a bit.
Fleur Delacour came in, she was carrying a tray with two plates, two sets of silverware, and two glasses filled with milk. She set the tray down Harry's lap and handed me one tray underneath the other. Mrs. Weasley came in and I stood up hugging Fleur saying, "Oh Fleur, it's so great to see you!"
She hugged me back and said, "Eet 'as been too long!" She explained how her and Bill were getting married, she got a job at Gringotts, and she wanted to get to know Bill's family.
I said, "Well, congratulations! I'm so happy for you. It's really great to see you again. Maybe later on we can catch up and talk!"
She smiled saying, "I would love that!" She left kissing Harry and hugging me once more.
Everyone was discussing how they didn't like her and I said, "Look, you may not like her, but she is a kind, intelligent, amazing girl. I am proud to know her."
Harry agreed with me and Hermione said bitterly, "Not you two as well!" Then they went off on Tonks and how Mrs. Weasley is trying to get Bill to fall in love with her. Ginny wanted Tonks in the family saying she was a laugh and Ron said she wasn't lately. Hermione explain how it was survivor's gilt because of Sirius. My stomach turned and I didn't have an apetite, but I ate to try to drown out the arguing...
Mrs. Weasley brought Ginny down stairs and Harry told Hermione and Ron about the private lessons and the prophecy. I wasn't really paying attention. I just couldn't stop the flashed going through my head of what happened. Hermione eventually got punched by something of Fred and George's and I snapped out of it. I changed my clothes is a flash and walked down as they continued to talk. Harry was mentioning O.W.L.'s and Hermione asked where I was going and I said, "Just downstairs, I think I want to talk to Fleur for a while, given I'm the only one who seems to like her..." I knew it was rude, but they are judging her on her looks, not within.
They all came down from upstairs and I was watching the skies, waiting for my O.W.L. results. I twisted the ring around my thumb, Sirius' wedding ring... I have it as a necklace, but I decided to take it off and just hold it. It was my safe haven. Though the ring was a lie, it was the only piece I had left of him...
I saw the birds coming and the results were in! Harry got seven O.W.L.'s, Ron got seven, Hermione got nine and I got thirteen, all 'Outstanding.' Everyone was exchanging papers and I just kept staring at mine. Everyone turned to me and wanted to know what I got and I said, "I got thirteen."
Hermione said, "That's not possible."
I said, "It is possible if you take thirteen classes. I took Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, History of Magic, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Astronomy, Herbology, Arithmancy, Muggle Studies, Divination, Study of Ancient Runes, Magical Theory, and Care of Magical Creatures."
They stared at me for a second and then Hermione hugged me saying, "Congratulations!" I hugged her back. Ron went on about us being N.E.W.T. students. I smiled sadly thinking about how it would have been even more fun hearing and seeing my dad's reaction to my report...

I need to stop depressing myself...

Thanks for reading! Vote please! :)
-Lilly :)