Harriet Lily Potter

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

No one in Gryffindor Tower slept that night. They knew that the castle was being searched again, and the whole House stayed awake in the common room, waiting to hear whether Black had been caught. Professor McGonagall came back at dawn, to tell them he had again escaped.

Throughout the day, everywhere they went they saw signs of tighter security; Professor Flitwick could be seen teaching the front doors to recognize a large picture of Sirius Black; Filch suddenly bustling up and down the corridors, boarding up everything from tiny cracks in the walls to mouse holes. Sir Cardogan had been fired. His portrait was taken back to where it belonged, and the Fat Lady was back. She had been expertly restored, but was still extremely nervous, and had agreed to return to her job only on condition that she was given extra protection. A bunch of surly security trolls had been hired to protect her.

Harriet kicked some snow from the ground as she walked alone. Hermione had told Harry that she would tell McGonagall about the Marauder’s Map if he continued sneaking out for Hogsmeade trips. Ron found this absurd of course which led to another argument. Hermione won obviously. Harry was nowhere to be seen. Sighing, Harriet then set off up the High Street where she saw a familiar figure.

“Hey Malfoy!” Malfoy turned around and smirked as Harriet stopped in front of him “What are you doing here?”

“I should ask you the same thing.” Said Malfoy; Harriet rolled her eyes

“Where are your cronies?” she asked; changing the topic. Malfoy’s eyebrows rose in confusion “Crabbe and Goyle, I meant.”

“How should I know,” he said carelessly “Who do I look like their mother?”

“Wait,” said Harriet “You aren’t their mother?”

Malfoy rolled his eyes as Harriet started laughing.

“Really funny Evans,” said Malfoy sarcastically, Harriet straightened herself up and stopped laughing

“Okay I’m sorry.” She said

“Good.”

It was silent for a few moments, until Harriet realized something.

“Thanks for lending me your broom by the way;” she said “I couldn’t have joined in the game without it.”

“Oh yeah that,” said Malfoy “It was no problem. But you’d better start working. Don’t expect me to be easy on you when we’re against each other.”

Harriet rolled her eyes

“Yeah I think I should start working then.” She said sarcastically,

“That and you should get your broom from Potter.”

“Good point.” She said; she then looked over at the Shrieking shack, she walked towards the fence that separated the so called “Haunted House” from Hogsmeade and just stared at the house. This was the place Uncle Remus went to during his transformations when he was at Hogwarts.

“What you wanna live there or something?” Asked Malfoy, standing beside her; Harriet rolled her eyes

“No,” she said “I’m just looking that’s all.”

“You do know that’s the most haunted house in all of Britain right?”

“Yes.” Harriet replied “But you do know those stories are all just old wives tales right?”

“Yes.” Said Malfoy “I just thought you believe them, that’s all.”

Harriet snorted and rolled her eyes