Jupiter | Harry James Potter

lxxvi ; the meeting

   "So who's supposed to be meeting us?" Harry asked bitterly, his mind still on Will Noland. Jupiter gently rubbed a hand in circles on his back, suppressing a laugh at his obvious jealousy.

"Just a couple of people," Hermione said, checking her watch and then looking anxiously toward the door. "I told them to be here about now and I'm sure they all know where it is — oh look, this might be them now —"

The door of the pub had opened. A thick band of dusty sunlight split the room in two for a moment and then vanished, blocked by the incoming rush of a crowd of people.

First came Neville with Dean, who were closely followed by Parvati, who was dragging Lavender, and Padma Patil. Jupiter felt herself subconsciously move closer to Harry as Cho Chang and one of her friends, Marietta Edgecome came after.

Then, Naomi Kaur, both of the Farraways, and to Harry's displeasure, Will Noland walked through the door with one of his sixth year friends. Closely after them, Luna Lovegood entered, then Katie Bell, Alicia Spinnet, and Angelina Johnson, Susan Bones, Colin and Dennis Creevey,  a small boy, who Jupiter later recognized as the boy who used to bring Ron his mail in fourth year, Nigel, Ernie Macmillan, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Hannah Abbott, and a Slytherin girl with a long plait down her back whose name Jupiter did not know; three Ravenclaw boys she was pretty sure were called Anthony Goldstein, Michael Corner, and Terry Boot; Ginny, followed by a short blonde boy, and bringing up the rear, Fred and George Weasley with their friend Lee Jordan, all three of whom were carrying large paper bags crammed with Zonko's merchandise.

"A couple of people?" said Harry hoarsely to Jupiter and Hermione.

"I didn't know anything about this," Jupiter whispered, raising her hands in defense.

Harry fully directed his attention on Hermione and repeated, "a couple of people?"

"Yes, well, the idea seemed quite popular," said Hermione happily. "Ron, do you want to pull up some more chairs?"

The barman had frozen in the act of wiping out a glass with a rag so filthy it looked as though it had never been washed. Possibly he had never seen his pub so full.

"Hi," Fred said, reaching the bar first and counting his companions quickly. "Could we have . . . Thirty-one butterbeers, please?"
The barman glared at him for a moment, then, throwing down his rag irritably as though he had been interrupted in something very important, he started passing up dusty butterbeers from under the bar.

"Cheers," said Fred, handing them out. "Cough up, everyone, I haven't got enough gold for all of these. . . ."

Jupiter watched as the large chattering group took their beers from Fred and rummaged in their robes to find coins.

"What have you been telling people?" Harry asked in a low voice. "What are they expecting?"

"I've told you, they just want to hear what you've got to say," Hermione said soothingly; but Harry continued to look at her so furiously that she added quickly, "You don't have to do anything yet, I'll speak to them first."

"Hi, Harry," Neville said, beaming and taking a seat opposite Harry.

Harry tried to smile back, but did not speak.

In twos and threes the new arrivals settled around Harry, Ron, and Hermione, some looking rather excited, others curious, Luna Lovegood gazing dreamily into space. When everybody had pulled up a chair, the chatter died out. Every eye was upon Harry.

"Er," Hermione said, her voice slightly higher than usual out of nerves. "Well — er — hi."

The group focused its attention on her instead, though eyes continued to dart back regularly to Harry.