Love Lasts

Chapter 21

Draco and Harry decided that it would be best to enter the Hall separately so they wouldn't draw attention to themselves.

"Go first. Everyone will be distracted by you so they won't notice me." Draco hissed. Harry rolled his eyes, but nodded all the same.

As Draco said, when Harry stepped into the Hall a ripple of heads and whispers followed him down the table. He sat beside Fred and George, across from Dean and Seamus.

"Where have you been Harry? I thought you might be in the Hospital Wing but Madam Pomfrey said she hasn't seen you!" Harry shrugged.

"I found a place to stay for a bit. I was really busy with my work you know, trying to get it all done." Everyone stared at him. "What?" Harry asked, somewhat defensively.

"Nothing. You just didn't really used to care about your school work." Harry thought for a second.

"Strange. I worry about it now." Seamus shrugged, but didn't say anything else.

"That new spell from Professor Flitwick is tricky." Dean mentioned while piling mashed potatoes onto his plate.

"Tell me about it. It's also kind of dangerous." Harry looked up and saw a strange spark in Seamus' eyes.

"It's not supposed to be. You're the only one who set your basket of apples on fire." Seamus grinned then slapped Dean upside the head. "Shut up you." Dean grinned back. "Well you did!"

"What spell was that again?" Harry asked. "Contrarium." Dean and Seamus answered.

"It makes whatever you're charming the opposite. Today was to turn fruits into a liquid." Harry quirked an eyebrow.

"How is that the opposite?" Dean shrugged.

"I guess it's a solid to a liquid so it's kind of the opposite. I dunno. Oh, you better see Professor Flitwick for your work. You don't want to get too behind." Harry shook his head.

"A...friend got my work for me." Seamus raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.

"Really? Do you get the spell then?" Harry shrugged. "Sort of."

Harry pulled his wand from his robes and conjured a goblet into his hand. Dean held an apple over the goblet and Harry cleared his throat. "Contrarium!"

The apple immediately became a liquid and poured into the goblet. "Well done Harry!" George clapped Harry on the shoulder.

"Thanks!" "I guess we know who to come to when we need help with Charms." Fred joked. Harry shook his head. "I doubt it. I was probably just lucky."

Fred raised an eyebrow in challenge. "Don't give up that easily Harry! Okay, we learned how to bring life to a painting in our Charms class today. Let's see if you can do it." Harry scoffed.

"That's about as likely as me and Pansy Parkinson being friends." Fred shrugged.

"Okay. If you want to play chicken and give up, that's on you." Harry caught the playful glint in Fred's eye. "Fine. Get a painting then."

George waved his wand and a small painting of a puppy with a red ribbon around it's neck appeared. It was sitting in front of a fire with a large Christmas tree beside it and many presents under it.

"The spell is Reddet Animam." George said. "Wave your wand like this." Fred demonstrated a small wave that ended with a flick towards the ground. "Reddet animam?" Harry clarified and the twins nodded. "Fine."

Harry cleared his throat and raised his wand again. "Reddet animam!" He moved his wand in the wave motion and ended with a flick at the floor.

The painting seemed to shimmer for a moment then the dog started barking and running around in circles. The fire was crackling merrily and the tree branches in the window seemed to flutter with an invisible wind.

"How did you do that?" George asked. "George and I have been struggling with that one for ages!" Fred said. Harry shrugged awkwardly.

"I-I dunno. I guess it's just beginner's luck. I'm going to go. I've still got some work to finish." This, of course, wasn't true as he had finished all of his work in the Room of Requirement.

The boys nodded at him, some of their mouths still slightly gaping.

"See in a bit." Harry grabbed his bag and walked quickly out of the Hall without looking back.

That's strange. From everyone's reaction you'd think that I used to be an idiot. I remember my marks, they weren't that horrible.

When Harry reached the portrait hole, he stopped, remembering he didn't know the new password.

He was saved, however, by someone running up the stairs and was surprised to find Lavender Brown of all people running towards him.

"Harry! There you are. Pavarti and I were getting so worried when you didn't show up for your classes! I'm glad your back!" Lavender pulled him into a tight hug and he patted her back awkwardly.

"T-Thanks Lavender." Lavender smiled at him then looked at the portrait hole, comprehension dawning on her face.

"Oh! The password is mint jelly. They changed it for the holidays." Lavender smiled at him one more time before hurrying into the Common Room and sitting beside Pavarti.

Harry glanced around the room but didn't see anyone he really wanted to talk to. Colin Creevy and his brother Dennis were talking in front of the fire, but they hadn't ever really been Harry's friends.

He decided to go up to the dormitory and do a bit of studying to take his mind off things. What's wrong with me? I never used to study for fun or out of boredom. I must really be going mad.

The dormitory was quiet and Harry automatically disliked it. Too many years in a quite closet under the stairs maybe.

However, the silence didn't last long and as soon as Harry had sat on his bed, Neville walked into the room.

"Harry! There you are! I heard you were at dinner but I got into a conversation with a Ravenclaw in the library and couldn't go down. When I did, Fred gave me this and told me to tell you you could keep it if you could make it alive."

Neville walked over to Harry's bed and handed him a small white Labrador stuffed animal. "How am I supposed to make this alive?" Harry asked.

"I dunno...oh wait! George gave me this paper as I was going." Neville handed Harry a paper with the word surgit on it.

"You sure this is the right spell?" Neville shrugged.

"It's Fred and George. Is it ever the right spell?" Harry chuckled and grabbed his wand from his pocket.

"Okay... Surgit!" The stuffed animal glowed a soft yellow then it dimmed back to normal. "You reckon it worked?" Neville asked.
Harry just shrugged.

"It was probably just one of Fred and George's jokes. You know they-" Before he could finish his sentence, the stuffed animal had started moving. There was a bright flash of light yellow light that blinded both boys then the old stuffed animal disappeared and a real white Labrador puppy was crawling around on the bed.

"Are you sure this isn't a prank?" Neville asked. Harry chuckled.

"If It were a prank I don't think it would have worked."

The puppy spotted Harry, ran towards him, then flipped over into his lap. "He's so cute!" Neville said, sitting next to Harry and scratching the puppy behind the ears.

"Can we keep him? Please Harry?" Harry looked at the puppy then at Neville. The puppy had very light fur, almost silver. A light in Harry's head clicked. "I have an idea." He said, a grin creeping across his face.