Desperate Measures

Chapter 18 - February & Désespoir

The Quibbler, Special Addition to February Edition, Monday, February 17, 1997

Current Count of Suitors: 290

Excerpt from An Introduction to Veela, Chapter 10 - International Trade & Travel

--February 2--

Harry woke to the sounds of his dorm-mates squabbling. Normally he ignored the inanity of their morning complaints, but today...he hissed. Loudly.

There were several moments of stunned silence. "All right. Everybody out," Neville said firmly.

"Why do we have to leave," Ron said angrily. "He's the one...Hey!...Let go!"

"Shut up, Ron," Seamus said urgently. "Neville's got a better handle on this situation than we do and he said to leave so we are leaving."

Harry listened to the retreating sounds of Ron's complaints and did his best to settle his temper.

Neville approached Harry's bed about five minutes after Harry started the standard breathing exercises. "Better?" he asked.

"Somewhat," Harry sighed out agitatedly. He sat up and put his head in his hands. "It's just my luck that Désespoir would start today. Damn it all! Today's Sunday! It's supposed to be my day off! I've been looking forward to it all week! Why couldn't it have waited one more day? Why did it have to ruin my day off?"

"I'm sorry your day's starting so badly," Neville said sympathetically. "Maybe it will seem better after breakfast. Are you up to getting something to eat?"

"No," Harry said petulantly. A few moments later he sighed and dropped his hands from his face and looked up. "Maybe I should tell Dean to start a pool about when I'm finally going to lose it. I mean, the regular pool is defunct now," he said resignedly.

"That's because "D" keeps sending you the same thing," Neville said with an amused snort. "A box of chocolates and a book about Egyptian magic. It's no more fun. Here, I have something for you."

Harry looked up then held out his hand to accept whatever it was Neville was holding out to him. He inspected the small wrapped ball. "Hellert's Honey Humps?" he questioned in disbelief.

"Cecilia says that, in her opinion, they're the best morning snack to help settle Désespoir," Neville supplied.

"Cecilia?" Harry asked curiously while opening the brown and yellow candy wrapper.

"My cousin-in-law," Neville answered. "She said she used to eat four a morning during stage one and ten during stage two. I asked her to send some to me. I've got the box in my trunk."

Harry nodded and popped the honey treat in his mouth. "How many in a box?" he asked carefully around the hemisphere in his mouth.

"Five hundred," Neville said. "She bought the resellers box," he elaborated at Harry's shocked expression. "Do you like them?"

Harry nodded as he sucked on the candy then watched as Neville went over to his trunk. When Neville lifted out a large box, he pushed the candy into his cheek and said, "Don't. You keep them. You'll be more sensible in the morning than me so you'll remember to make me eat them. I'll probably be too irritable to remember."

"All right," Neville said with a nod and wiggled the box back into his trunk. He picked up three more candies from the box and brought them over to Harry.

"The best, huh?" Harry asked as he swallowed the last of the first treat and accepted the additional candies offered him.

"According to her," Neville said agreeably. "They're pure condensed honey; basically just a bunch of sugar."