A Hogwarts Legend: Chaos Begins [4] (SLOW UPDATES)

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen - "I ship my brother with his mortal enemy."

Half an hour later, each of us have been given a complicated circular chart, and is attempting to fill in the position of the planets at our moment of birth. It's dull work, requiring much consultation of timetables and calculation of angles.

"I've got two Neptunes here," says Harry after a while, frowning down at his piece of parchment, "that can't be right, can it?"

"Aaaaah," I say, imitating Professor Trelawney's mystical whisper, "when two Neptunes appear in the sky, it is a sure sign that a midget in glasses is being born, Harry ..."

Seamus and Dean, who are working nearby, snigger loudly, though not loudly enough to mask the excited squeals from Lavender - "Oh, Professor, look! I think I've got an unaspected planet! Oooh, which one's that, Professor?"

"It is Uranus, my dear," says Professor Trelawney, peering down at the chart.

"Can I have a look at Uranus, too, Lavender?" says Ron.

Most unfortunately, Professor Trelawney hears him, and it's this, perhaps, which makes her give us so much homework at the end of the class.

"A detailed analysis of the way the planetary movements in the coming month will affect you, with reference to your personal chart," she snaps, sounding much more like Professor McGonagall than her usual airy-fairy self. "I want it ready to hand in next Monday, and no excuses!"

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

"Lots of homework?" says Hermione brightly, as her and Elinor catch up with us. "Professor Vector didn't give us any at all!"

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

We reach the Entrance Hall, which is packed with people queuing for dinner. We've just joined the end of the line, when a loud voice rings out behind us.

"Weasley! Hey, Weasley!"

He can't leave us alone for one day, can he?

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Elinor, Maya and I turn. Draco, Crabbe and Goyle are standing there, each looking thoroughly pleased about something.

"What?" says Ron shortly.

"Your dad's in the paper, Weasley!" says Malfoy, brandishing a copy of the Daily Prophet, and speaking very loudly, so that everyone in the packed Entrance Hall can hear. "Listen to this!"

FURTHER MISTAKES AT THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC
It seems as though the Ministry of Magic's troubles are 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 Minister was plunged into fresh embarrassment yesterday by the antics of Arnold Weasley, of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office.

Malfoy looks up.

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

Everyone in the Entrance Hall is listening now. Malfoy straightens the paper with a flourish, and reads on:

Arnold Weasley, who was charged with possession of a flying car two years ago, was yesterday involved with a tussle with several Muggle law-keepers ("policemen") over a number of highly aggressive dustbins. Mr Weasley appears to have rushed to the aid of 'Mad-Eye' Moody, the aged ex-Autor who retired from the Ministry when no longer able to tell the difference between a handshake and attempted murder. Unsurprisingly, Mr Weasley found, upon arrival at Mr Moody's heavily guarded house, that Mr Moody had once again raised a false alarm. Mr Weasley was forced to modify several memories before he could escape from the policemen, but refused to answer Daily Prophet questions about why he had involved the Ministry in such an undignified and potentially embarrassing scene.