Never Is Our Always

Weasley's Got A Howler!

(Minnie pov)

We all sat in the great hall, eating away at our breakfast, talking among ourselves before the owls swooped in, dropping off mail.

"Oh no!" I heard Ron cry and I look at him, he was staring at a red envelope, I immediately covered my ears.

"Heads up, everyone. Weasley's gotten himself a Howler!" Seamus announced in amusement as everyone who was near Ron all turn to him.

"Go on, Ron. I ignored one from my Gran once... and it was horrible." Neville said as he sank into his seat.

Ron stretched out a shaking hand, eased the envelope from Errol's beak, and slit it open. Neville stuffed his fingers in his ears. A split second later, a roar of sound filled the huge hall, shaking dust from the ceiling.

"-STEALING THE CAR, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GET HOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT WAS GONE-"

Mrs. Weasleys yells, it made the plates and spoons rattle on the table, and echoed deafeningly off the stone walls. People throughout the hall were swiveling around to see who had received the Howler, and Ron sank so low in his chair that only his crimson forehead could be seen.

"-LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU AND HARRY COULD BOTH HAVE DIED-"

"-ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED- YOUR FATHER'S FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT AND IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT BACK HOME."

A ringing silence fell. The red envelope, which had dropped from Ron's hand, burst into flames and curled into ashes.

-

While I was eating my food, forgetting about Ron's howler, Professor McGonagall was moving along the Gryffindor table, handing out course schedules.

"Magical creatures?" I mumbled, then looked up as Fred and George were given their own and they sighed.

"Guess we all have Magical creatures together," Fred told me as George read his own and then nods.

"And then Transfiguration." George flicked my course schedule down and nods, "the three of us have all our classes together."

"Oh fun," I replied with a faint smile.

-

While the six of us walked down the stone steps past the Greenhouses, I stopped abruptly to see Gilderoy Lockhart, in robes of turquoise, his golden hair shining under a perfectly positioned turquoise hat with gold trimming; but slightly in front of him was with a fuming, tiny Professor Sprout.

"This can't be good," I told them behind me. Professor Sprout's arms were full of bandages, I guess it was for the whomping willow.

"Oh, hello there!" he called, beaming around at the assembled students as well as turning to face us. "Just been showing Professor Sprout the right way to doctor a Whomping Willow! But I don't want you running away with the idea that I'm better at Herbology than she is! I just happen to have met several of these exotic plants on my travels..."

"Oh Godric," George said, "he's a bit full of himself, hey?"

"Poor Professor Sprout." I shake my head and gave the poor witch a sympathy smile.

"Harry! I've been wanting a word, you don't mind if he's a couple of minutes late, do you, Professor Sprout?"

Judging by Professor Sprout's scowl, she did mind, but Lockhart said, "That's the ticket," and closed the greenhouse door in her face.