𝐎, 𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐃 ⎥ "He wants a fight with
a God? I'll give him one."
﹙ from stardust we came, to stardust we return ﹚
Prisoner of Azkaban - Deathly Hollows
...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
* * *
PATCHES OF BRIGHT blue sky were beginning to appear over the castle turrets, but these signs of approaching summer did not lift Harry's seemingly never-ending bad mood. He had been thwarted, both in his attempts to find out what Draco was doing, and in his efforts to start a conversation with Slughorn that might lead, somehow, to Slughorn handing over the memory he had apparently suppressed for decades.
"For the last time, just forget about Draco," Elara told Harry firmly.
They were sitting with Ron and Hermione in a sunny corner of the courtyard after lunch. Hermione and Ron were both clutching a Ministry of Magic leaflet — Common Apparition Mistakes and How to Avoid Them — for they were taking their tests that very afternoon, but by and large the leaflets had not proved soothing to the nerves. Ron gave a start and tried to hide behind Hermione as a girl came around the corner.
"It isn't Lavender," said Hermione wearily.
"Oh, good," said Ron, relaxing.
"Harry Potter?" said the girl. "I was asked to give you this."
"Thanks . . ." Once the girl was out of earshot Harry said, "Dumbledore said we wouldn't be having any more lessons until I got the memory!"
"Maybe he wants to check on how you're doing?" suggested Hermione, as Harry unrolled the parchment; Elara peering over his shoulder. Rather than finding Dumbledore's long, narrow, slanted writing she saw an untidy sprawl, very difficult to read due to the presence of large blotches on the parchment where the ink had run.
Dear Harry, Elara, Ron, and Hermione,
Aragog died last night. Harry and Ron, you met him,and you know how special he was. Hermione and Elara, I know you'd have liked him. It would mean a lot to me if you'd nip down for the burial later this evening. I'm planning on doing it round dusk, that was his favorite time of day. I know you're not supposed to be out that late, but you can use the cloak. Wouldn't ask, but I can't face it alone.
Hagrid
"Look at this," said Elara, handing the note to Hermione.
"Oh, for heaven's sake," she said, scanning it quickly and passing it to Ron, who read it through looking increasingly incredulous.
