I will always find you

OOTP 18

During their next Hogsmeade visit Hermione had arranged for Harry to give Rita an interview giving his side of what had happened during the final task of the Triwizard tournament. Luna said vaguely that she did not know how soon Rita’s interview with Harry would appear in The Quibbler, that her father was expecting a lovely long article on recent sightings of Crumple-Horned Snorkacks.

“And, of course, that’ll be a very important story, so Harry’s might have to wait for the following issue,” said Luna.

“Can’t wait to see what Umbridge thinks of you going public,” said Dean, sounding awestruck at dinner on Monday night. Seamus was shoveling down large amounts of chicken-and-ham pie on Dean’s other side, but Ella knew he was listening.

“It’s the right thing to do, Harry,” said Neville, who was sitting opposite him. He was rather pale, but went on in a low voice, “It must have been . . . tough . . . talking about it. . . . Was it?”

“Yeah,” mumbled Harry, “but people have got to know what Voldemort’s capable of, haven’t they?”

“That’s right,” said Neville, nodding, “and his Death Eaters too . . . People should know. . . .” Neville left his sentence hanging and returned to his baked potato. Seamus looked up, but when he caught Harry’s eye he looked quickly back at his plate again. After a while Dean, Seamus, and Neville departed for the common room, leaving Harry, Ella and Hermione at the table waiting for Ron, who had not yet had dinner because of Quidditch practice. It wasn't long before they were joined by a very dirty Ron and Ginny. 

“So, how was Quidditch practice?” Harry asked the two as they sat down.

“It was a nightmare,” said Ron in a surly voice.

“Oh come on,” said Hermione, looking at Ginny, “I’m sure it wasn’t that —”

“Yes, it was,” said Ginny. “It was appalling. Angelina was nearly in tears by the end of it.” Ron and Ginny went off for baths after dinner; Ella, Harry and Hermione returned to the busy Gryffindor common room and their usual pile of homework. Harry had been struggling with a new star chart for Astronomy for half an hour when Fred and George turned up.

“Ron and Ginny not here?” asked Fred, looking around as he pulled Ella up out of her chair and sat down before pulling her into his lap. Harry shook his head at Fred's questions “Good. We were watching their practice. They’re going to be slaughtered. They’re complete rubbish without us.”

“Come on, Ginny’s not bad,” George said fairly, sitting down next to Fred. “Actually, I dunno how she got so good, seeing how we never let her play with us. . . .”

“She’s been breaking into your broom shed in the garden since the age of six and taking each of your brooms out in turn when you weren’t looking,” said Hermione from behind her tottering pile of Ancient Rune books.

“Oh,” said George, looking mildly impressed. “Well — that’d explain it.”

“Has Ron saved a goal yet?” asked Hermione, peering over the top of Magical Hieroglyphs and Logograms.

“Well, he can do it if he doesn’t think anyone’s watching him,” said Fred, rolling his eyes. “So all we have to do is ask the crowd to turn their backs and talk among themselves every time the Quaffle goes up his end on Saturday. You know, Quidditch was about the only thing in this place worth staying for.” Hermione cast him a stern look.

"Rude" Ella muttered as Fred tightened his arms around her.

"Quidditch and you" He said kissing her on the cheek.

“You’ve got exams coming!” Hermione said looking at Fred.

“Told you already, we’re not fussed about N.E.W.T.s,” said Fred. “The Snackboxes are ready to roll, we found out how to get rid of those boils, just a couple of drops of murtlap essence sorts them, Lee put us onto it. . . .” George yawned widely and looked out disconsolately at the cloudy night sky.